Nyara Sabally’s time in New York has come to an end.
We’ve got you covered on the Liberty beat
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.
Advertisement
The Toronto Tempo on Friday picked Sabally with their second pick (fourth overall) in the expansion draft.
The decision reunited Sabally with Sandy Brondello and Olaf Lange.
Brondello, now the Tempo’s head coach, is the only WNBA head coach Sabally has played for, and Lange, now an assistant coach for the Tempo after serving as a Liberty assistant for the past four seasons, has worked with Sabally on the German national team.
Sabally wasn’t the only Liberty player whose name was called Friday. The Tempo also acquired the rights to French center Adja Kane, whom the Liberty picked No. 38 overall in 2025.
Advertisement
Per the expansion draft rules, teams could protect only five of their players — one fewer than the Golden State Valkyries’ expansion draft last offseason. The lists weren’t made public.
Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever drives to the basket as Nyara Sabally of the New York Liberty gives chase during the second quarter. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
General manager Jonathan Kolb said in a statement it was “extremely difficult” to say goodbye to Sabally.
“From the moment she arrived in 2022, Nyara brought professionalism, humility and a true team-first mindset, quickly becoming a valued part of our locker room and Liberty family,” Kolb said in a statement. “We are grateful for everything she gave to this team and excited to see her step into an expanded role in the next chapter of her career with Toronto.”
Advertisement
After cementing her spot in the team’s future with a heroic performance in Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals, Sabally looked forward to having an expanded role with the team in 2025. However, discomfort in her surgically-repaired right knee sidelined her only three games into the season.
The 6-foot-5 backup center ultimately was limited to only 17 games, averaging 5.4 points and 4.5 rebounds in 2025.
Liberty forward Leonie Fiebich (13) speaks with center Nyara Sabally (8) during the first half against the Las Vegas Aces at Barclays Center, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in Brooklyn, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Sabally’s lingering knee issues raised questions regarding her future with the Liberty, who drafted her No. 5 overall in 2022.
Sabally had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee twice and had a follow-up surgery in 2022, sidelining her for what would’ve been her rookie season.
Advertisement
After an injury-disturbed 2025 season, Sabally decided not to play overseas this offseason in order to prioritize her health.
Sabally appeared in 76 games over three seasons with the Liberty. She has one year remaining on her rookie-scale contract. Her salary is expected to jump from $79,999 (a 5.3 percent cap hit) in 2025 to $437,000 (a 6.2 percent cap hit) in 2026.
Tempo general manager Monica Wright Rogers praised Sabally and said her championship experience was a selling point.
“She is what we would call an interior anchor,” she said. “She is just stable. She has a high IQ, she’s able to defend and bring that stability that you need in your post players.”
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Kane has yet to make her WNBA debut and continues to develop overseas. She spent this past season with Landerneau Bretagne Basket of the French LFB, averaging 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 19 games.
Sabally and Kane are two of the 11 players the Tempo added to form the foundation of their inaugural roster. The Portland Fire also drafted 11 players, though none from the Liberty.
Sabally’s departure was a sizeable hit for the Liberty, who will be on the hunt for a more reliable backup center.
One potential answer to fill Sabally’s void is Spanish center Raquel Carrera, who intends to play in the WNBA this season. The Liberty could also look to free agency for a solution, with two potential options being Temi Fagbenle or Stefanie Dolson.
