Sabrina Ionescu will miss at least two weeks after suffering a left foot injury in the Liberty’s final preseason game on Sunday, according to a team source.
An MRI on Monday revealed that Ionescu avoided any “significant” injury, the source added. She will be reevaluated in two weeks, but for now she will have to watch the Liberty’s reloaded roster from the bench, starting with the season opener on Friday against the Connecticut Sun.
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Ionescu sustained the injury less than three minutes into the third quarter of Sunday’s 79-67 preseason win over the Sun. After coming off a screen set by Jonquel Jones, Ionescu was met in the paint by Sun forward Diamond Miller. She attempted to drive past Miller before picking up her dribble and going up for a reverse layup. Ionescu rolled her left ankle as she landed and crumpled to the floor.
She remained on the ground for only a moment before standing up and signaling to the Liberty bench that she needed a sub. She then walked back to the locker room and shortly after was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Liberty coach Chris DeMarco confirmed Ionescu rolled her ankle, but described the outlook as being “positive” immediately after the game. Ionescu left the arena wearing a boot on her left foot.
Ionescu’s rookie season was cut short after she suffered a Grade 3 left ankle sprain in 2020. That fall she had surgery on the same ankle to remove scar tissue that was causing irritation.
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The Liberty dealt with a litany of injuries during the 2025 campaign. The starting lineup New York began the season with — Ionescu, Natasha Cloud, Leonie Fiebich, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones — started only 12 games together. Jones (ankle) and Stewart (knee) both missed 13 regular-season games. Ionescu (neck, toe) missed six.
Ionescu will miss at least four games — Friday at home against the Sun and then a three-game trip against the Washington Mystics, and consecutive games against the Portland Fire — before being evaluated again, which, according to the timeline provided, will be the week of May 18.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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