New York Liberty forward Satou Sabally's availability for the team's upcoming game against the Seattle Storm on Thursday is uncertain following a facial injury sustained during Tuesday's victory over the Las Vegas Aces. Sabally exited the game with 6:17 remaining in the second quarter and did not return to the floor after halftime.
It remains unclear precisely when Sabally sustained the injury. She appeared to be hit in the head by NaLyssa Smith near the 5:31 mark of the first quarter. Following the contact, for which Sabally was assessed a foul, she sat on the court briefly, removed her glasses, and rubbed her eyes before exiting the game. She re-entered to start the second quarter but was forced to leave again.
Liberty coach Chris DeMarco stated after the 87-76 win that Sabally would "be all right" and was not being evaluated for a concussion. This news is particularly concerning given Sabally's history of concussions, including one that caused her to be helped off the court in Game 3 of the 2026 WNBA Finals. Lingering symptoms from that concussion impacted her offseason, delaying her return to basketball activities until March.
Sabally, who was the biggest outside free agent acquisition for the Liberty this offseason, has faced other health setbacks this season. She missed the initial games due to a cyst and was also sidelined temporarily by an undisclosed illness. She had recently returned to the starting lineup on Sunday after playing off the bench for the previous eight games.
Prior to this injury, Sabally was averaging 10.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, shooting 45.9% from the field and 38.5% from three-point range across 13 games.
The Liberty's win on Tuesday ended a two-game losing streak and was described as arguably their best performance of the season. The team holds a 12-6 record, placing them fourth in the WNBA standings heading into their matchup against the Seattle Storm, who have lost 11 consecutive games and hold a 3-15 record.