24-4, the New York Liberty is looking very good this season. Part of the reason why, is that Sabrina Ionescu has shown up for them at every critical moment. Whether Breanna Stewart is out or any other, the guard has been on her toes, ready to attack. Until now, the Oregon alum has played every game for the Liberty.

However, for now, the 2023 WNBA 3-point shooting star has been missing from the floor since their last game with the Dallas Wings. As per recent updates, she is not yet back to her full health, keeping her on the sidelines for a while longer.

According to the official X account of the Underdog WNBA, Sabrina Ionescu is ruled out for tonight’s game as well due to her neck. The Olympic gold medalist has been facing a stiff neck since their game against Aces, restricting her return to the court twice now. According to ESPN, her estimated return date is August 24, 2024, when they host the Connecticut Sun.

Potentially, Sandy Brondello is keeping her on the sidelines to recover completely before the playoffs start on September 22. So far, New York is the only team to have secured a playoff berth by crossing the 20+ game win mark. With Sabrina Ionescu on the game-time decision for now, other stars off the Liberty bench like Kayla Thornton will get to shine for the team. But the guard’s contributions are simply too good to get over.

A peek into Sabrina Ionescu’s performance for the Liberty

If there was a conversation about who would be the Most Improved Player for this year in the W, Sabrina Ionescu would certainly top the name. At least this is what the WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes has to say about the 2020 first-overall pick. Not that the 26-year-old athlete needed to get better, but she has still added more complexities to her game going into this season.

In 27 games that she has played so far, Ionescu has averaged 19.9 points and 6 assists. She is currently going 42.7% from the field and 35.7% from beyond the arc. Additionally, she is over 90% from the stripe, making her one of the only few players to have the stat. Apart from the numbers, Sabrina Ionescu has been a pacesetter for New York. She has added more floaters to her game and is sharing some defensive roles as well.

All-in-all, while the Liberty have proven that they can win over anyone even if their essential players are not on the floor, Ionescu is quite important on both ends of the floor. The team would need her more during the playoffs as the original franchise goes for another tourney run in hopes of winning their very first title.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.