New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu has avoided a significant injury after rolling her left ankle and hurting her left foot during the team's preseason victory over the Connecticut Sun this past weekend. Despite the initial scare, an MRI revealed no major structural damage to the affected foot and ankle. The team announced on Monday that Ionescu will be reevaluated in two weeks, a timeline that will unfortunately sideline her for the Liberty's regular-season debut scheduled for Friday against the Connecticut Sun.

The incident occurred early in the third quarter of Sunday's game. Ionescu was driving to the basket and landed awkwardly, appearing to get her feet tangled with the Sun's Diamond Miller as she attempted a reverse layup. She remained on the court for a few moments before getting up and waving towards her team's bench. She then walked off the court with a slight limp, heading directly to the locker room for medical attention. Following the game, she was observed wearing a walking boot as a precautionary measure.

This current injury involves the same left ankle that Ionescu previously hurt during her rookie season in 2020. That prior injury had regrettably sidelined her for the remainder of that year after she had played only three games. The confirmation of no major injury from the recent MRI provides significant relief, preventing a potential repeat of a season-ending setback and allowing for a more optimistic recovery outlook compared to her challenging rookie experience.

Teammates expressed concern immediately after the incident but were quickly reassured about her condition. Liberty forward Jonquel Jones commented, "Obviously wasn't good to see," adding that she had checked in with their physical therapist to confirm Ionescu was okay. Breanna Stewart also spoke with Ionescu after the game, reporting that her teammate was in "good spirits." In the preseason game, Ionescu played just under 16 minutes, contributing six points on 2-for-8 shooting from the field. Her importance to the team is further underscored by her strong performance last season, where she played in 38 games and averaged an impressive 18.2 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.9 rebounds.