Liberty Star Added to Injury Report vs. Mystics

The New York Liberty made a late adjustment to the injury report for Friday's game against the Washington Mystics, announcing that Courtney Vandersloot (back) is questionable to partake in a visit from the Washington Mystics (7:30 p.m. ET, Ion).

Vandersloot, 35, has missed just one game since joining the Liberty last season. Though she's averaging only 7.6 points over the first seven games, Vandersloot's early penetration efforts (50 percent from two-point range) have helped the Liberty overcome a slow start from the outside. Vandersloot earned her fifth All-Star Game invite last season after she came over from the Chicago Sky.

May 18, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty guard Courtney Vandersloot (22) drives past Indiana Fever forwards NaLyssa Smith (1) and Aliyah Boston (7) in the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports | Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

If Vandersloot is unable to go, the Liberty have a variety of options to fill her place next to Sabrina Ionescu in the backcourt: sizable threats like Kayla Thornton and Nyara Sabally have been the Liberty's first women off the bench this season but New York has given rookie Leonie Fiebich bigger opportunities over the past two games.

Of note, New York let Thronton start both the second and fourth periods of Wednesday's win over Phoenix, working with the similarly-sized Betnijah Laney-Hamilton in place of Vandersloot.

With Marine Johannes still stationed overseas indefinitely, the Liberty lack a pure backcourt depth piece. One of the closest would perhaps be Ivana Dojkic, a Seattle transfer who has shown no hesitation in shooting from deep (3-of-7 over her first five appearances).

[[UPDATE: 7:10 p.m. ET]]: Head coach Sandy Brondello confirmed that Vandersloot was downgraded to OUT for Friday's game. Kayla Thornton wil take Vandersloot's place in the Liberty's opening lineup.

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