The New York Liberty are kicking off their historic 30th season—but they're doing it with a roster that's been hit hard by injuries. Just hours before Friday night's opener against the Connecticut Sun, the team was forced to scramble, signing two players to hardship contracts just to have enough bodies on the floor.
Star guard Sabrina Ionescu is sidelined with a left foot injury she suffered during last Sunday's preseason matchup against the Sun. She's expected to be out for a couple of weeks. Fellow guard Rebecca Allen is dealing with a left leg injury but could be back as early as this weekend. And key offseason free-agent signing Satou Sabally is managing a cyst, leaving her status uncertain.
"It's going to be day to day," said first-year Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco, who also admitted he wasn't sure if Sabally would travel with the team for their upcoming three-game road trip.
To make matters worse, New York is also without Raquel Carrera and Leonie Fiebich, who are still fulfilling overseas commitments and haven't joined the team yet. That left the Liberty with just seven available players heading into the opener.
Enter Julia Vanloo and Aubrey Griffin, signed on hardship contracts to provide emergency depth. Vanloo's journey to Barclays Center was nothing short of a whirlwind: she caught a red-eye from Los Angeles after being waived by the Sparks, landed at 1 a.m., and spent the six-hour flight studying the Liberty's playbook. She crammed in even more during the team's morning shootaround.
It was a far smoother arrival than last season, when Vanloo was cut by Golden State and had to wait outside Barclays Center for two hours before clearing waivers to join the Sparks. This time, she was escorted straight into the building by her new team—though she did have to pause after talking to the media to figure out where the home locker room was.
"Super relieved to have this chance. I'm super thankful for that," Vanloo said. "I'm very excited to play in Barclays. It's always been my favorite road trip."
There is some good news for Liberty fans: Betnijah Laney-Hamilton is set to make her return after missing all of last season while recovering from surgery for an acute meniscus tear in her left knee. Her presence on the court will be a welcome boost for a team that's starting the season shorthanded but determined to fight through adversity.