The New York Liberty will have to start their season without one of their brightest stars. Sabrina Ionescu is set to miss at least two weeks after suffering a left foot injury during the team's final preseason game on Sunday, a team source confirmed.
The news comes with a silver lining: an MRI taken on Monday revealed no "significant" damage, according to the source. Ionescu will be reevaluated in two weeks, but for now, she'll be cheering from the sidelines as the Liberty's revamped roster tips off the season on Friday against the Connecticut Sun.
The injury occurred less than three minutes into the third quarter of Sunday's 79-67 preseason victory over the Sun. After receiving a screen from Jonquel Jones, Ionescu drove into the paint, where she was met by Sun forward Diamond Miller. As she attempted a reverse layup, Ionescu landed awkwardly, rolling her left ankle and collapsing to the floor. She quickly got up, signaled for a substitution, and walked to the locker room, where she was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco confirmed the rolled ankle immediately after the game, describing the prognosis as "positive." Ionescu left the arena wearing a protective boot on her left foot.
This setback brings back memories of Ionescu's rookie season in 2020, which was cut short by a Grade 3 left ankle sprain. She later underwent surgery to remove scar tissue from the same ankle, though she has since returned to star form, establishing herself as one of the WNBA's premier guards.
The Liberty are no strangers to injury woes. During the 2025 campaign, New York's starting lineup—featuring Ionescu, Natasha Cloud, Leonie Fiebich, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones—managed to play together just 12 times. Jones (ankle) and Stewart (knee) each missed 13 regular-season games, while Ionescu sat out six due to neck and toe issues.
With Ionescu sidelined, the Liberty will need to dig deep. She's expected to miss at least four games: Friday's home opener against the Sun, followed by a three-game road trip against the Washington Mystics and two consecutive contests against the Portland Fire. The team will reevaluate her status the week of May 18, hoping for a swift return of their dynamic playmaker.