Vital Reserve's Return Gives Liberty Hope as Time Runs Out

Responding to Jackie Powell of The Next Hoops on Sabally’s progression, Brondello outlined the performance staff’s plan.

“Our performance staff have outlined a plan for her, and you know everything’s going to plan,” Brondello said. “Sometimes you don’t know when you’re coming back. So, she’s progressing. She had a really good workout playing two-on-two yesterday and then today. And we’ll continue to build her up into five-on-five, so she’s feeling comfortable when she goes out there. But the main thing is, she’s feeling good, and that’s great, because Nyara, you know, it’s been a struggle for her all season long. She’s a player that we’ve missed and we believe in. So hopefully she’ll be back before the end of the season, definitely.”

Brondello also addressed Sabally’s readiness when asked by Madeline Kenney of the New York Post: “Looks good, feeling good, but has been out for quite some time, so we need to just continually build her up.”

Sabally’s absence has been felt. She has played in just 15 of the Liberty’s 41 games this year, logging 10 starts early in the season while filling in for Jonquel Jones. Despite the limited floor time, the forward from Germany made her mark when healthy. She delivered standout performances, scoring 16 points against Phoenix on June 27, recording four steals at Indiana on June 14, and blocking four shots versus Atlanta on July 13 - all season/career-highs.

Last season, Sabally appeared in 26 games for New York, but her defining moment came in the 2024 WNBA Finals. In a do-or-die Game 5, she emerged as the Liberty’s X-factor, delivering the kind of impact performance that helped secure the franchise’s first championship.

Now, with New York clinging to the No. 5 seed, the timing of her return could prove critical. The Liberty have underperformed by their own high standards, but Brondello remains confident in their ability to compete down the stretch. “We need to win now, even without the players who are out,” Brondello said. “I feel good about this team when we get everyone back, but we’ve got what we need to win right now.”

Brondello confirmed, Sabally will take the court before season's end, but no date has been set. The Liberty (24-17) have three regular-season games remaining - Sept. 5 at Seattle, Sept. 9 at home against Washington, and Sept. 11 at Chicago.