New York Liberty fans will have to wait a little longer to see Sabrina Ionescu in action this season. While an MRI has confirmed that the star guard avoided a major injury, she is set to miss at least two weeks due to a left foot issue, a source confirmed to the New York Daily News.

The injury occurred during the third quarter of Sunday's preseason finale against the Connecticut Sun. Ionescu landed awkwardly on her left foot after a layup attempt and immediately stayed on the court in visible pain. She was able to walk to the locker room under her own power, but the moment was concerning for teammates and coaches alike.

"It wasn't good to see," said teammate Jonquel Jones. "I was able to check in with our PT during the game just to make sure she was OK."

This setback means new head coach Chris DeMarco will be without his starting guard for at least the first four games of the regular season: May 8 vs. Connecticut, May 10 at Washington, and back-to-back games in Portland on May 12 and 14. Ionescu will be re-evaluated around May 18, which falls during a stretch where the Liberty have no games scheduled between May 15-20. The team returns to action on May 21, which would be 17 days after the initial injury diagnosis.

The Liberty are no strangers to adversity. After a 2025 campaign that was heavily impacted by injuries—including Ionescu missing six of 44 games, plus lengthy absences for stars Jones and Breanna Stewart—this is an unwelcome start to the new season. For now, the team will have to rally while their floor general recovers, hoping to keep things steady until she's back in the lineup.