Liberty Give Promising Sabrina Ionescu Update

The New York Liberty entered the 2026 WNBA season as the odds-on favorites to win the championship, and, despite getting off to an up-and-down 5-4 start, they’re still the favorites entering their WNBA Commissioner’s Cup clash with the Toronto Tempo (5-4) on Wednesday night.

The Liberty could be much worse off, given that All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu has only played one game. They’ve waded the Ionescu-less waters relatively well, and they may only be without her for one more game.

The New York Post’s Bridget Reilly reported Wednesday morning that Ionescu has been ruled out with back soreness for the Liberty’s game against the Tempo, but head coach Chris DeMarco said the team hopes Ionescu will return to the lineup against the Indiana Fever on Saturday.

Ionescu missed the Liberty’s first five games of this season due to a left foot injury she suffered during the final preseason game against the Connecticut Sun on May 3.

The 2020 No. 1 overall pick made her 2026 debut against the Dallas Wings at Barclays Center on May 24. Ionescu recorded 11 points on 4-for-15 shooting from the field, seven assists, and five rebounds in the 91-76 loss.

It was always a strong possibility that Ionescu would miss the Liberty’s next game against the Portland Fire on May 25 as a precaution while she eased back into action. But Ionescu missed three more games with a new injury designation: back soreness.

Last Friday, DeMarco told reporters that Ionescu’s back had been “bothering her a little bit,” but she was “working to get back [for] the next one,” which would have been Wednesday’s game against Toronto. She didn’t make it back for that one, but we’ll see if she can return when the Fever come to town.

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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 11:57 AM.