Satou Sabally is moving on from the Dallas Wings after five seasons. The fifth-year forward revealed her intentions to play elsewhere during her media availability for Unrivaled on Thursday.
Sabally, 26, has played all five of her WNBA seasons with the Wings, who drafted her No. 2 overall in 2020 out of Oregon. In 2023, she won Most Improved Player honors, averaging 18.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists. She was also named All-WNBA first team.
Last season, she averaged 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and five assists while shooting 45% on 3-pointers. Sabally was limited to 15 games with a shoulder injury suffered during Olympic qualifying play for Germany. She underwent surgery and returned to the Wings after playing in the Paris Olympics.
However, Dallas finished with the league’s second-worst record at 9–31. The Wings finished above .500 only once during Sabally’s five seasons.
“I’ve already communicated with Dallas how grateful I am, because they’ve made this a home for me for the past years, and I’m working with them together and finding a next home for me,” Sabally told reporters, via ESPN’s Alexa Phillipou. “I’ve already played my last game in Dallas.”
Though there was likely no ideal time for the Wings to find out they were losing their second-leading scorer, Sabally made her announcement on the same day that Dallas officially introduced new head coach Chris Koclanes. The team also overhauled its front office, naming veteran WNBA head coach Curt Miller as executive vice president of basketball operations and general manager.
As Sabally alluded to, Miller will now likely work on getting something in return for Sabally. The likely move is for the team to use its Core Designation on Sabally and trade her to another club. That will prevent her from becoming an unrestricted free agent, but ensure at least a one-year, supermax offer.
Sabally’s sister, Nyara, plays for the WNBA champion New York Liberty. Asked if she’d like to play with her sister on the league’s best team, Sabally said she “would love that.”
Sabally will play for Phantom BC when the 3×3 women’s basketball league tips off on Jan. 17.
