Your Day in Women’s Basketball, November 4: Liberty star looks to stay on track
By James Hyman
Offseason bumps in the rehabilitation road
Last year’s number one overall pick Sabrina Ionescu has already dealt with her fair share of injuries in just her first WNBA season. The New York Liberty phenom and possible future face of the league was sidelined with an ankle sprain after only three games, and ended up missing the rest of her rookie campaign.
Ionescu had surgery to remove a loose bone fragment in the same hurt ankle, a procedure deemed to be minor that will not drastically affect her rehab schedule.
Liberty fans are eager to see more of the point guard, who scored 33 points in just her second game. New York went just 2-20 on the shortened season, and will hope a top 2021 pick and a healthy Ionescu could change the franchises fortune for the better.
Former Ohio State head coach Nancy Darsch passed away early this week at the age of 68. Once an assistant at Tennessee under Pat Summit, Darsch was familiar with the big stage. Not only was she on the staff for four Final Four appearances, but also an assistant for two gold medal winning Olympic teams in 1984 and 1996.
Darsch worked for multiple WNBA teams, including being the first head coach in New York Liberty history. Her coaching and player tree runs deep and her impact on women’s basketball will not soon be forgotten.
While many election races have been called, Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler will have to wait until January to secure her senate seat. Since no one met the 50% threshold in the Georgia race, there will be a runoff at the beginning of next year.
Loeffler was heavily criticized by Atlanta Dream players and the league’s players as a whole after she expressed opposition toward the Black Lives Matter movement. Many athletes called for her to be removed as an owner, but commissioner Cathy Engelbert did not take any executive action on the matter.