Mercury Stars Call Out Liberty Fans

Hard to argue. The Liberty trailed big before halftime and never gave their supporters a reason to rise out of their seats. With little to cheer about, the typically raucous Brooklyn crowd was muted, watching in disbelief as their team was outplayed in nearly every facet for three quarters.

And it wasn’t just Copper twisting the knife. Phoenix forward, Satou Sabally, sister of Liberty forward Nyara Sabally, didn’t hesitate when asked about New York’s so-called home-court advantage.

“(Phoenix will be) loud, louder than here,” she said when asked about the crowd.

Sabally delivered her own critique after watching fans stream toward the exits long before the final buzzer.

“It will be lit. I love playing in Phoenix. The vibe is unmatched. Like every time I played in Phoenix as an opponent, I was always thinking, this is good. But now, just like feeling it being embraced by the fans, they will stay till the end of the game. Like today, you looked in the stands, they were already leaving a little bit. Our fans would never leave. They’re backing us up. They’re talking from the sideline. It’s different. It’s different.”

That’s a stinger coming from someone who was practically adopted by Liberty fans last fall. Her comments raised eyebrows, considering Satou spent much of last year’s title run celebrating alongside Liberty fans. She was in the crowd during Game 5 of the 2024 Finals, when chants of “Sabally!” echoed through the arena as Nyara and her teammates secured the franchise’s first championship. Satou even joined the parade, showing love for New York and, at one point, was rumored to be considering the Liberty as a destination after announcing her exit from Dallas.

Now, the Liberty head to Phoenix, facing elimination with no choice but to win on the road. Their fans won’t be there to help. For Copper and the Mercury, the message is clear: if Barclays really is the WNBA’s best home court, it wasn’t for game 2.