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Sabrina Ionescu Isn’t Upset About New York Liberty’s Big Loss

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jeremy Beren | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 3:33 PM ET

The New York Liberty's star-studded squad was missing something as the 2024 regular season ended. Though a team with Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart finished with a WNBA-best 32-8 record, head coach Sandy Brondello decided that rookie forward Leonie Fiebich needed to be in the starting lineup when the playoffs began.

With another lanky shooter and a strong defender on the floor in Fiebich, the Liberty rolled to the WNBA Finals and defeated the Minnesota Lynx in five games to win their first-ever championship.

Brondello's plan worked so well that Fiebich has kept her starting role in 2025. The 9-0 Liberty are The W's only unbeaten team, featuring the league's best offense (114.2 offensive rating) and its best defense (90.2 defensive rating).

But Brondello now has a Fiebich-sized hole to patch in the lineup, as the 25-year-old is heading to Eurobasket to play for her native Germany.

Leonie Fiebich will temporarily step away from the Liberty to suit up for the German National Team at FIBA EuroBasket 2025!

Best of luck, Champ!! pic.twitter.com/tEnMEgUGsj
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) June 12, 2025

The tournament, which will be held in four different European countries, begins June 18 and runs through June 29, could rule out Fiebich for the Liberty's next seven games -- beginning with Saturday's road game against the Indiana Fever.

On paper, it's a big loss for an undefeated team that is enjoying tremendous synergy in the early stages of its title defense. But Ionescu -- the Liberty's longest-tenured player -- sees an opportunity amid Fiebich's absence.

"We're not going to sit here and kind of pout and be upset that she had to go do that," Ionescu told the media on Friday. "I think it's just understanding we got to grind out."

Ionescu on losing Fiebich: "We're not going to sit here and kind of pout and be upset that she had to go do that. I think it's just understanding we got to grind out...We can to try and make up for what she brings to the team, and we'll welcome her with open arms when she…
— Geoff Magliocchetti (@GeoffJMags) June 13, 2025

Winning the 2024 WNBA Finals -- in which Ionescu played with a serious injury -- served as confirmation that the Liberty were as resilient and as tough as they come.

Those qualities have been displayed this season in tight wins over the Fever and the Golden State Valkyries, but Ionescu is embracing the challenge that awaits without Fiebich -- starting with an Indiana team that will welcome back Caitlin Clark from a five-game injury absence.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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