Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu is returning to the court just in time for the 2026 WNBA season.
Ionescu is among the 15 players set to participate in USA Basketball’s training camp in Phoenix this week, the organization announced Tuesday.
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It’ll be her first time playing in an official team setting since the Liberty’s season ended in the first round of the playoffs. Ionescu sat out the Unrivaled season with an unspecified injury, though she’s been training on her own throughout the offseason.
Two injured players are attending camp, which runs from Wednesday through Friday. USC forward JuJu Watkins, who missed this past season with an ACL tear, will be a limited participant. Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, who had surgery on both ankles earlier this year and was also sidelined for Unrivaled’s season, will not participate in on-court activities.
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Collier was spotted last week at her annual Hopkins, Minn., camp with a cast on her left leg.
Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts after scoring a three-point basket against the Los Angeles Sparks. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
Others expected to join include four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers and former Liberty forward Kayla Thornton, who played for the Valkyries last season.
Monique Billings, Cameron Brink, Rae Burrell, Veronica Burton, Stefanie Dolson, Rickea Jackson, Azurá Stevens, Brittney Sykes and Mikayla Blakes round out the 15-player roster, led by Duke coach Kara Lawson is leading.
U.S. women’s national team managing director Sue Bird will be on site to evaluate players in preparation for the 2026 FIBA World Cup, scheduled for Sept. 4-16 in Berlin, Germany.
