Nyara Sabally Set to Be Liberty's New Difference

Nyara Sabally is set to be one of the biggest differences for the New York Liberty as they seek a return trip to the WNBA Finals.

Brandon Todd, NY Liberty

Many believe that the New York Liberty's championship fate rests on the wings of a Duck that flew in from the Pacific Northwest.

Yes, Sabrina Ionescu will obviously play a role on the playoff road ahead but there's a little extra pressure on new New Yorkers considering the fact they were brought in to pave the final steps of a championship journey that fell two steps short of the ultimate goal last year.

One of the most noticeable differences from last year's Liberty group compared to the one currently competing for the franchise's first postseason title is the emergence of young veteran forward Nyara Sabally. As it stands, Sabally is set to go down as one of New York's most vital acquisitions despite placement in the metropolitan system for each of the last three years.

Anything short of acquiring both Caitlin Clark and A'ja Wilson would've been a disappointing 2024 offseason for the Liberty compared to the last, which touted the acquisitions of Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, and Courtney Vandersloot to create an assembly of All-Stars that had rarely been attempted in the days of WNBA past.

Lingering in the midst of it all was Sabally, New York's first-round pick from the 2022 draft, a remnant of the Liberty's bittersweet "hybrid rebuild" era, one meant to launch the nomadic New Yorkers back into contention while curbing any immediate enthusiasm in the new Brooklyn era.

Brandon Todd, NY Liberty

Sabally wasn't able to partake in the craze immediately, as a knee injury wiped out her entire freshman campaign. Once she was ready to take the floor, Sabally (less than eight minutes a game) was mostly a spectator in the Liberty's run to the 2023 WNBA Finals that ended in a four-game defeat to the Las Vegas Aces.

With their compatriots making headline-grabbing moves, the Liberty quietly restocked on its primary women while shifting its second unit around. When Stefanie Dolson returned to Washington, the 6-5 Sabally became understudy to Jonquel Jones, giving New York more of a pure paint presence not unlike what their former Manhattan brothers carry in Mitchell Robinson.

Whereas Dolson and Jones were well-known for launching crowd-pleasing triples, Sabally's status as a weapon from a bygone era has given New York a special edge.

"She's a very capable one," Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello said of Sabally. "She just offers us something different. I love it. She's very physical. She rolls out quickly out of the pick and roll, but she's a good iso player as well, giving us another big body. We're so excited about that. We're going to need her as we move forward."

With the Liberty (32-7) set to embark on another Finals run, a Sabally September has been one of Brooklyn's top developments as it seeks postseason traction: since the month tipped off, Sabally's defensive rating ranks fourth among women playing at least 10 minutes a game, behind only Minnesota stalwarts Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams, as well as Liberty/German national team companion Leonie Fiebich. Before August let out, Sabally became the first New Yorker to post a double-double off the bench since Joyner Holmes in 2020.

Now an undeniable part of the Liberty rotation, Sabally could well become a metropolitan x-factor as another title trek looms.

"We go way back and I've kind of been able to be a part of her journey for a really long time and have been able to kind of see her at her high and at her low moments," Ionescu said of Sabally. "She's tough. She comes back from a lot, but she's just been giving us such great minutes in that backup five position. She's such a key player for us."

"She just changes the energy. I love to be on the court with her," the well-versed Fiebich added. "Whether it's the German national team or here, she's just such a hard worker, she makes energy plays, and you can really feel it as a teammate on the court. It's just awesome to have her come in and do that for us."

Sabally figures to get plenty of time on Thursday, as a Liberty group locked into the WNBA's top seed faces the Atlanta Dream in Barclays Center's regular season finale (7 p.m. ET, Liberty Live/NBA TV).

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