Nyara Sabally spent most of her time in New York under the radar, playing behind future Hall of Famers even as a top-five draft pick.
Now, she shines as a starter and key proponent with expansion team Toronto Tempo. And she’ll get to prove her skills taking on the Liberty for the first time since departing the team via expansion draft.
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The Liberty are ready.
“I want to win and I want to play well against her. Of course,” said Jonquel Jones, who took Sabally under her wing during the pair’s three seasons together in New York. “I’m happy for her to be able to step into that new role, and I think it was time for her. So in that sense, I’m happy for her. But once we get on that court it’s no more friends. None of that.”
Jones will likely match up against Sabally for stretches in Wednesday’s Commissioner’s Cup opener.
Sabally is entering the matchup averaging 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks in 25.1 minutes per game — all career-highs. She averaged just 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.1 minutes in her three seasons with the Liberty.
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Just last week, Sabally recorded the best game of her WNBA career: 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting while logging six rebounds, two assists and two steals. She even shot 3-of-4 from downtown. The center made just two three-pointers in her Liberty tenure.
Finally after a right knee injury robbed her of a 2022 season and some mobility upon return, the ex-Oregon product is showing real flashes of what she was projected to be coming out of college.
“Definitely,” Breanna Stewart said when asked if she’s happy Sabally can now spread her wings. “While it’s bittersweet that Nyara left, it’s like for her an opportunity to really fulfill a bigger role. She’s starting every single game. She’s deserving [of] that, and going out and really making the most of the time she steps on the court.”
The Liberty knew Sabally had this talent.
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But the team was unable to make her untouchable in the latest expansion draft. Each WNBA team could protect up to five players on their rosters from being selected in the draft.
With the Liberty’s roster filled with stars, Sabally being poached was inevitable.
Toronto signing ex-Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello made Sabally’s path up north even clearer. The team also selected center Adja Kane, who the Liberty had stashed overseas.
An offseason prior, Golden State Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin, who spent time in New York’s front office, selected ex-Liberty reserve player Kayla Thornton.
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“These players that have been on our team are wanted, they’re highly-touted,” Stewart said.
Brondello’s and Sabally’s return is extra motivation for the Liberty to get off on the right foot in Commissioner’s Cup play. The matchup features sisters Nyara and Satou Sabally, who the Liberty signed this offseason.
Wednesday’s matchup is the Liberty’s first of six Cup pool play games through June 17. The two teams in each conference with the best records advance to the Commissioner’s Cup championship game, which is hosted by the team with the higher winning percentage.
Players in the championship game are competing for a prize pool of $500,000. The winning team of each Cup pool play game earns a $3,000 donation for its designated nonprofit organization, while the losing team will earn $1,000 for its selected organization.
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An additional $10,000 donation will be awarded to the nonprofit partner of the Commissioner’s Cup champion, while the runner-up team’s organization will receive $5,000.
This year, the Liberty are playing for the African American Policy Forum, an innovative think tank that connects academics, activists, and policymakers to promote efforts to dismantle structural inequality.
“For sure there’s something you’re playing for outside of what you’re already playing for,” said Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco, who coached in the NBA’s In-Season Tournament during his time with the Warriors. “It just adds some excitement to it. I think everybody enjoys those in-season tournaments. I think it matters to the players. It matters to us.”
Does DeMarco think the WNBA should switch to those eye-sore monochromatic floors like the NBA?
“No comment,” he said.
