Sabrina Ionescu says getting back into the Liberty lineup after an ankle injury in the preseason has been a “learning experience,” after New York’s 76-67 loss to the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center dropped them to 12-8.
When the Liberty started Sunday inside Chase Center, Sabrina Ionescu had a simple goal: find the rhythm that has gone missing. Instead, New York’s offense stalled in the most painful way—she was scoreless in the first half—and the Golden State Valkyries ran away with a 76-67 win.
It marked the Liberty’s fourth loss in five games. leaving them still searching for their footing this season despite a strong lineup. The spotlight has kept narrowing onto Ionescu. whose numbers are at the lowest point of her career as she works to regain form after an ankle injury suffered in the preseason.
Ionescu missed the Liberty’s first five games and then sat out seven more outings due to a back injury. The result. she said. is more than just a late start—it’s the challenge of rebuilding timing. trust. and chemistry with teammates she hasn’t played with consistently. while also adjusting to a new coach and a new system.
“I’ve never missed a month in a season unless it was my rookie year, and I missed the whole season. Obviously. it’s been a learning experience for me. especially early on in the year. where you’re trying to find your identity as a team and build chemistry with players you haven’t played with. and obviously. a new coach. new system. so all of that is new. ” Ionescu said.
The stats behind her admission don’t hide the struggle. The 28-year-old is averaging career-lows across the board—9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists—while shooting 34.6% from the field and 27.3% from three. She has yet to score 20 points. The Valkyries added another layer to New York’s problem by holding her scoreless in the first half—her fourth time being kept off the scoreboard in that span this season.
There’s still a belief around the Liberty that a reset can flip quickly. Ionescu can “explode at any time,” and she only needs one strong game to get back on track. But the team has also been dealing with internal pressure beyond individual performances—Jonquel Jones recently called out her teammates for not playing with enough heart.
After the loss to the Valkyries, New York slipped to 12-8. The next chance to respond comes Tuesday, when the Liberty return to action against the Las Vegas Aces.
New York Liberty Sabrina Ionescu Golden State Valkyries WNBA Chase Center ankle injury back injury Jonquel Jones Las Vegas Aces