Ionescu Avoids Major Injury, Set to Miss Liberty’s Season Opener.

NEW YORK — Sabrina Ionescu appears to have avoided a serious setback after injuring her left ankle and foot during the New York Liberty’s preseason matchup against the Connecticut Sun. The team confirmed Monday that Ionescu will be sidelined for at least two weeks and will be reevaluated after that period. While she won’t be available for New York’s regular-season opener Friday—also against Connecticut—tests brought encouraging news. An MRI showed no significant structural damage to the ankle or foot. The injury occurred early in the third quarter of Sunday’s game when Ionescu drove to the basket and landed awkwardly on a reverse layup attempt. She appeared to get tangled with Sun defender Diamond Miller before rolling her ankle. Ionescu remained on the floor briefly before getting up under her own power and limping back to the locker room. She was later seen wearing a walking boot. “It’s never good to see something like that,” Liberty forward Jonquel Jones said. “I checked in with our medical staff during the game just to make sure she was doing OK.” Teammate Breanna Stewart said she spoke with Ionescu afterward and noted that the guard was “in good spirits” despite the scare. Ionescu finished with six points in just under 16 minutes before exiting, shooting 2-for-8 from the field. The injury raised concern given her history—she suffered a severe ankle injury during her rookie season in 2020 that limited her to just three games. This time, however, the outlook appears far less serious. Last season, Ionescu played in 38 games for New York, averaging 18.2 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.9 rebounds, continuing to establish herself as a cornerstone of the Liberty’s lineup.