Satou Saballys Unrivaled reunion with Sabrina Ionescu a potential glimpse of Liberty future
When Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally were in college, the Oregon teammates used to talk about what it would be like to play together at the professional level.Up until this point, with both locked into the teams that selected them No.1 and 2 overall in the 2020 draft, those conversations were mostly wishful thinking.But that dream of teaming up as professionals will soon be coming true — at least in one professional setting and perhaps another.Ionescu and Sabally have been reunited as teammates on the Phantom and will make their debut next week in Miami at Unrivaled.“It’s amazing,” Sabally said Thursday of playing with Ionescu again.
“She’s a great person, and what we’ve always respected of each other is that work ethic, and I know she’s going to bring that in.”But could this be the start of a yearlong reunion for the two former Oregon stars?It’s not out of the realm of possibility after Sabally dropped a bombshell Thursday during Unrivaled’s media availability.Sabally, an unrestricted free agent, said she’ll be moving on from the Dallas Wings after five seasons.“I’ve already communicated with Dallas how grateful I am because they’ve made this a home for me the past years, and I’m working with them together and finding a next home for me,” Sabally said.“I’ve already played my last game in Dallas.”Let the Sabally Sweepstakes begin.Given the situation, the Wings will likely use their core designation on Sabally, which would allow Dallas to orchestrate a sign-and-trade in order to get some return on the 6-foot-4 forward who’s been labeled a “unicorn” since her college days.There will be plenty of competition for Sabally.
And the defending champion Liberty should be one of the teams that make a play for the star.Sabally would make any team better, given her length and versatile skill set.But spending a premium on a player with an extensive injury history like Sabally does come with some risk.Since being drafted, Sabally...