WNBA insider reveals Sabrina Ionescu won Finals despite reported injury struggle

During the WNBA Finals, Sabrina Ionescu shot just 1-19 in the New York Liberty's 67-62 overtime win in Game 5, drawing the attention of fans and analysts alike.

While the team was able to win the WNBA championship despite her poor shooting night, fans wondered whether she simply had an off night, or if there was more at play behind the scenes.

Rumors and theories ramped up in the days following the team's championship win as she was spotted wearing a brace on her hand. Now, according to ESPN's Alexa Philippou, the star actually suffered a high-grade UCL tear in her shooting hand during Game 4.

Because of that, she was unable to play at 100% in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals. While the tear hindered her ability to shoot the ball with the same efficiency as she did during the regular season, according to Philippou's sources, the Liberty star won't need to undergo surgery.

Instead, rather than being the last player to join Liberty teammate Breanna Stewart's Unrivaled 3x3 league, Ionescu will rehab her hand throughout the WNBA offseason.

According to Mass General Brigham, a UCL tear could take as long as two months to rehab without surgery, however, if surgery is needed, the recovery time jumps up to at least nine months.

"I don't think it is really something you can put into words" - Sabrina Ionescu reacts to winning first WNBA title

While the New York Liberty's championship win was a historic occasion for the franchise given that it was the first in team history, it also marked Ionescu's first championship win of her career.

In her final year at the University of Oregon, it appeared as though the team had a real chance of winning an NCAA title. However the COVID-19 pandemic ended up forcing the cancellation of the remainder of the tournament, with Ionescu then being drafted into the WNBA.

Because of that, the Liberty's championship win was the first title of Ionescu's career outside of her gold medal wins with Team USA. In an interview with Elle, she spoke about what winning the WNBA Championship means to her:

"I don’t think it is really something you can put into words. I think it’s just understanding everything has been part of your journey and continuing to buy into the process of being your best, and showing up every day, and kind of fighting through adversity, and figuring it out.

"That’s why winning a championship means so much, because you don’t do it alone. It takes a lot of people. It takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice over a long period of time. And when you get to that point of figuring it out and winning, it makes everything worth it."

When the 2025 WNBA season tips off, the hope will be that Ionescu is back at 100% and ready to help the Liberty pursue back-to-back titles.