UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu’s status for the team’s season opener Friday is in question after she left Sunday’s preseason finale early with an apparent left ankle injury.
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tRY IT NOWIonescu appeared to roll her left ankle after attempting a reverse layup early in the third quarter of the Liberty’s 79-67 win against the Connecticut Sun.
After the game, Ionescu was seen wearing a boot on her left foot.
Coach Chris DeMarco said Ionescu’s outlook is “positive,” but she’s scheduled to get an MRI Monday.
Breanna Stewart said Ionescu seemed to be in “good spirits.”
“Obviously Sab is a tough cookie,” Stewart said. “They said she’s gonna get it checked out … and we’ll just kind of go once we know more.”
Ionescu started the second half with the Liberty’s original starting lineup — minus Stewart — as planned.
Sabrina Ionescu looks to pass during the Liberty’s May 3 game against the Sun. NBAE via Getty ImagesDeMarco said the intention was to give the group a longer run and test its conditioning.
Ionescu drove toward the basket past two defenders, pivoted and went for a reverse layup before appearing to land awkwardly on her left ankle near the 7:40 mark of the third.
She was seen lying on the court, grimacing in pain as play continued on the other end.
Ionescu, whose 2020 rookie season was cut short after injuring the same ankle, got up under her own power and gestured to the bench for a sub.
She walked gingerly toward the locker room.
Moments later, the team ruled Ionescu out for the remainder of the game with what a spokesperson called a “lower-body” injury.
She finished with six points, two assists and a rebound in 16 minutes.
Jonquel Jones said she checked with the Liberty’s performance staff during the game to ensure Ionescu was OK.
Sabrina Ionescu is pictured during the Liberty’s May 3 game against the Sun. Getty Images“Our fingers are crossed obviously,” Jones said. “And we’ll just kind of handle it as we get more information.”
The Liberty entered Sunday’s game already short-handed.
Not only is the team without Leonie Fiebich and Raquel Carrera, who are still playing overseas, but New York also ruled out Satou Sabally, Rebecca Allen and Marine Fauthoux for the second consecutive game for what the team is calling “reconditioning.”
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, who played in the preseason opener April 25 but was a limited participant in practice Friday, was also sidelined for reconditioning purposes.
DeMarco said the team is “just trying to have them ready for Friday.”
Ionescu’s injury dampened what had been an overall better showing from the Liberty than their preseason opener.
The Liberty also committed only 12 turnovers — an improvement from the 22 they conceded in the previous game.
French point guard Pauline Astier shined in her debut, recording 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting and four assists in 22 minutes.
Marine Johannès had an impactful two-way presence en route to finishing with 12 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Ionescu’s injury scare aside, Jones believes the Liberty took a step in the right direction.
“I think we made a pretty big leap,” Jones said. “Just talking to teammates about our practices and everything. I think people are just feeling more comfortable, and I think it showed up there tonight. Obviously, like I said before, we still have a lot of things to fine-tune, and we’re nowhere near perfect going into the first game of the season, but I think we understand what our foundation is and what we can build on.”
The Liberty are scheduled to open their season Friday against the Sun at Barclays Center.






