Satou Sabally stepping away from Liberty ‘for a little bit’ as she continues concussion recovery

Liberty forward Satou Sabally is stepping away from the team “for a little bit” as she continues to work her way back from the concussion she suffered in late June. 

Sabally’s coaches and teammates fully support this decision. 

“It’s really mature and a step in the right direction for her to understand where she’s at and what she needs to do to feel 100 percent and feel like herself,” Sabrina Ionescu said before Thursday’s game against the Sparks. “And we’re giving her all the time in the world to do that.” 

Sabally’s injury designation changed Wednesday night to “head injury” after being listed as “concussion protocol” for the past seven weeks. She cleared concussion protocol, but is still not 100 percent healthy. 

“She’s going to be away from the team for a little bit,” coach Chris DeMarco said. “It’s her second significant head injury in the past 12 months. So, as with all our players, health will always be the focus, and we look forward to getting her back. She’s just going to take some time right now.” 

Asked if Sabally will be doing anything basketball related during her time away, DeMarco said, “We’ll get there.” 

“This is under the guidance of our performance team,” he continued. “But just for now, she’s just taking some time away, making sure she’s healthy.” 

Sabally, the team’s marquee free agent acquisition in the offseason, went down with a head injury after Aces forward NaLyssa Smith elbowed her in the face during the Liberty’s June 23 win in Las Vegas. 

Liberty forward Satou Sabally drives on Mercury guard-forward Kahleah Copper during a game earlier this season. Heather Khalifa for NY Post

While she has cleared concussion protocol, she’s not yet back in what DeMarco called her “comfort zone.” 

“We just needed some time away and make sure she’s 100 percent healthy,” he continued. “We’re not trying to rush anybody back, and it’s always going to be about the health of our players.” 

Sabally also suffered a concussion in Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Finals that sidelined her for most of the offseason. She didn’t participate in Unrivaled earlier this year and didn’t return to basketball activities until March. 

New York Liberty forward Satou Sabally (0) dribbles the ball during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Golden State Valkyries at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Thursday, May 21, 2026. Heather Khalifa for NY Post

Sabally, who signed a two-year, $1.67 million contract this offseason, missed the start of the season with a cyst and fell ill in late May. 

In 13 games (five starts) this season, she’s averaging 10.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists. 

Ionescu, who missed most of her rookie season with a bad ankle sprain, knows the physical, mental and emotional toll a lengthy rehab process can have on a player. 

“You can sympathize with somebody who’s just trying to come back from not feeling like themselves,” Ionescu said. “For us as teammates, that’s kind of our job to give her the safe space to not put any pressure but understand the human being comes first and the athlete comes second. And she needs to feel her best to be able to go out there and play. I mean, I’ve done it, probably she’s done it, everyone’s done it where you come out just because you feel the pressure and you want to get back to playing. But your body’s not ready and it tells you, like, you know.” 

DeMarco maintains confidence that Sabally will be back this season. 

“In terms of just the broad scope of players who have to deal with injuries, it’s so hard,” he said. “It’s so hard and sometimes I think fans, people [who] watch this game, are like, ‘Oh, you know, get over it. You’re making money.’ Or, ‘You’re doing this.’ Or, ‘It’s only for this long.’ It’s not easy. I mean, we all go through stuff and I think she’s doing a great job of handling this the right way. And I mean, the head especially is always such a concern. You have to be in the right mindset to go out there and compete and that’s what she’s working toward.”