The New York Liberty just announced that forward Satou Sabally is officially out for the rest of the 2026 WNBA season, a brutal blow coming from a head injury she picked up way back in June. This isn’t just a bump or a bruise, folks, it’s a full season-ender for one of their key free agency pickups.
Sabally’s Long Road Back to Health
Sabally, who joined the Liberty in April after playing for the Phoenix Mercury in 2025, first stepped away from the team in mid-August because she was still dealing with nasty concussion symptoms. Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco was pretty clear on the situation then, stating, “This is under the guidance of our performance team. Just for now, she’s taking some time away and making sure she’s healthy. … As with all our players, health will always be the focus. We look forward to getting her back. She’s just going to take some time right now.” It sounds like they’re putting her health first, which is exactly what you want to hear, but man, it’s gotta be tough watching from the sidelines. Even after clearing concussion protocol, the symptoms just weren’t letting up through August.
A Season Cut Short, Again
This isn’t Sabally’s first dance with a head injury, either. She unfortunately suffered a concussion in Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Finals, which forced her to miss the Unrivaled season and kept her off the court until March of this year. Talk about a tough run. This season, the 28-year-old three-time WNBA All-Star was limited to just 13 games, with the latest injury happening during a June 23 game against the Las Vegas Aces. When she was on the floor, Sabally was putting up 10.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in almost 17 minutes a night, shooting 45.9% from the field. It makes you wonder what kind of impact she could have had if she’d been healthy all year. She even posted on social media last month that she wouldn’t be playing for Germany in the upcoming FIBA Women’s World Cup, saying, “Right now, I have to listen to my body, put my health first and prioritize my full recovery. I feel your support for all these years and I’m so grateful for it. I’m incredibly proud of this team and I’ll be with you all in spirit, cheering from afar.”
It’s a huge loss for the Liberty for the rest of 2026. The focus now is entirely on Sabally’s full recovery, and hopefully, we’ll see her back on the court strong and healthy when the 2027 season rolls around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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