Satou Sabally’s potential was always evident. Injuries slowed down her development in the WNBA, though. Before this season, she had only played more than 17 games once in five years. In that season, she was named to the All-WNBA First Team and won the Most Improved Player of the Year award. Now, Sabally is healthy again, playing for one of the best teams in the league, and proving that the 2023 season was no fluke. She is letting the entire league know that she can still be one of the best players in the WNBA.
Sabally has been strong all season long, but just made another big statement in a 106-91 win over the New York Liberty.
Sabally led the Mercury to a huge win
The Mercury are finally healthy. Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas, and Satou Sabally are all available at the same time. Led by the trio of All-Stars, Phoenix entered its game against New York on a five-game win streak. After beating the Liberty and extending their win streak, the Mercury now have a 12-4 record and moved to second place in the regular-season standings.
Satou Sabally was a major reason for her team’s second victory over the reigning champions. She finished the game with 25 points, converting seven of her ten 3-point attempts, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
Alyssa Thomas, Kahleah Copper, Sami Whitcomb, and Kitija Laksa also did their parts, but Sabally was the driving force behind the Mercury’s dominant offensive showing.
When healthy, Satou Sabally is one of the best players in the league
Satou Sabally is the only Phoenix star who has played every game this season. She is averaging a career-high 19.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals in 28 minutes per game. Over 16 games, she has already scored twenty or more points nine times.
Her strong play, alongside some surprising performances from the Mercury’s supporting cast, is the main reason Phoenix was able to overcome the injuries to Copper and Thomas. Sabally is letting the entire league know that she is not only capable of being one of the best scorers in the league but that she can also lead one of the top teams and defeat the reigning champions twice.
That should worry the rest of the league, especially if Sabally continues to have a healthy season. She never really got the chance to establish herself as one of the top players in the league consistently. If she can stay healthy, that may change soon.
Considering how well the Mercury are playing and how crucial Sabally has been to her team’s success, she should even be considered for the MVP award.