Is Sabrina Ionescu playing tonight against Connecticut Sun? Latest on New York Liberty star’s status (Aug. 24)

New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu has been a key player for the WNBA’s top team all season. She also contributed to Team USA’s gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics, providing scoring off the bench. However, she missed the last two games for the Liberty.

Liberty fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Sabrina Ionescu is cleared to play against the Sun.

Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello confirmed that the sharpshooter will be back in the lineup, according to reporter Jackie Powell.

Previously, Liberty injury report had Ionescu listed as questionable but recent update from team says Sabrina will be available for action vs Sun.

Though the Liberty won both games without Ionescu, both against the Dallas Wings—one by 20 points and the other by eight—they perform even better with her on the court.

Ionescu is currently enjoying the best season of her career, with career-high averages of 19.9 points, 6.0 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game. She is shooting 42.6% from the field and 35.6% from beyond the arc.

When she's on the floor, the Liberty boasts an offensive rating of 111.5, which drops to 102.8 when she is absent.

What happened to Sabrina Ionescu?

Sabrina Ionescu has been dealing with a neck issue.

She has been healthy overall this season, even playing six games at the Olympics, where she shot 42% from the field, averaging 5.5 points and 3.3 assists in roughly 13 minutes per game off the bench.

In her return to the WNBA, she averaged 20.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the two games following the league’s resumption.

Sabrina Ionescu’s stats vs the Connecticut Sun

The Liberty and Sun have faced each other three times already, with Ionescu playing a pivotal role in each game, averaging 25.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.

All three matchups have resulted in Liberty victories. The first was a 92-75 win, the second a close 71-68 victory and the most recent an 82-74 win.

In the last matchup on July 16, Ionescu led the Liberty with 30 points, while Brionna Jones led the Sun with 17 points.

The New York Liberty are in pursuit of their first championship in franchise history, and with Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones leading the charge, they’ve secured a league-best 25-4 record.

The Liberty are also the first team this season to clinch a spot in the WNBA playoffs.

However, the Sun, whom the Liberty are set to face for the fourth time, won’t be an easy challenge. They’ve won seven of their last 10 games and are coming off a hard-fought 82-80 victory against the Chicago Sky.