New York Liberty forward Satou Sabally has been placed in concussion protocol and will be sidelined indefinitely, the team announced. The injury occurred during Tuesday's game in Las Vegas.
Sabally was initially listed as questionable with a head injury before Thursday night’s game against the Storm. The team updated her status on game day, ruling her out due to the concussion protocol. She exited Tuesday’s game with 6:17 left in the second quarter after being hit in the head by NaLyssa Smith’s arm while attempting to rebound. Sabally was called for a foul on the play and left the game shortly thereafter.
Liberty coach Chris DeMarco expressed surprise at the foul call, stating, "She got hit in the head." DeMarco noted that officials did not review the play. He added that while the team initially stated Sabally was not being evaluated for a concussion, she later developed "delayed onset symptoms."
Sabally will travel with the team as they continue their road trip, which includes a Sunday game in the Bay Area against the Valkyries and the Commissioner’s Cup championship game on Tuesday. DeMarco reported that Sabally is in "good spirits" but acknowledged the situation is challenging, especially with the upcoming championship game.
This is not the first time Sabally has dealt with a concussion. She was previously diagnosed with a concussion eight months ago, which caused her to miss the final game of the 2025 WNBA Finals series. Lingering symptoms from that injury kept her sidelined through the Unrivaled season, and she did not return to basketball activities until March.
Sabally joined the Liberty as a significant free agent acquisition this offseason. She has also missed time earlier in the current season due to a cyst and an undisclosed illness. Returning to the starting lineup on Sunday after coming off the bench for eight games, Sabally has averaged 10.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point range in 13 games.
In addition to Sabally's absence, the Liberty will also be without Breanna Stewart on Thursday night, who is being rested. Stewart has played significant minutes throughout the season, and DeMarco explained that the decision to rest her was made in consultation with performance staff to ensure player health for the later part of the season.