Liberty Reserve Withdraws From EuroBasket Competition
Nyara Sabally will be sticking around with the New York Liberty for a while.
Sabally announced through the German women's national basketball team that she would withdraw from the upcoming EuroBasket competition, which will keep her in Brooklyn as the Liberty continues its title defense. Sabally's announcement comes hours after she returned to New York hardwood in Tuesday's win over the Chicago Sky after a six-game absence enforced by a knee injury.
"It is not easy for me, but with the rehab for my knee, the intensive EuroBasket schedule and the tight WNBA calendar, I have to prioritize my health with an eye on my long-term goals with the national team," a "disappointed" Sabally said in a statement from the German national club. "I wish everyone competing for Germany at EuroBasket the best of luck! I know my teammates will be great and I can't wait to be back on the court with everyone."
Injuries have frequently interrupted Sabally's career, including a torn ACL that wiped out her rookie WNBA season after the Liberty drafted her fifth overall out of Oregon in 2022. Sabally is coming off a memorable championship run, breaking out to the tune of 13 points and seven rebounds off the bench in last fall's WNBA Finals-clinching victory over the Minnesota Lynx.
The past year has been busy for Sabally, who previously repped Germany during its maiden Olympic voyage in Paris last summer.
Sabally mentioned that she received an injection for her most recent knee issue, extending her recent absence. With Jonquel Jones nursing an ankle injury, Sabally made her first career start upon her return to action against Chicago, hitting all four of her tries from the field in an 85-66 victory.
Sabally is the second Liberty rep to turn down a shot at European glory, which will be partly staged in Germany (which is hosting alongside Czechia, Greece, and Italy) as Marine Johannes likewise opted to stay in New York. The Liberty will still briefly bid farewell to Leonie Fiebich, another postseason heroine who made the Olympic journey with Sabally last season.
EuroBasket Women 2025 is set to get underway on June 18, with Germany facing Great Britain, Spain, and Sweden in group play. The Germans are looking to build on their sixth-place finish from 2023 and for their first medal since a bronze in the 1997 edition.
Geoff Magliocchetti is a veteran sportswriter who contributes to a variety of sites on the "On SI" network. In addition to the Yankees/Mets, Geoff also covers the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, and New York Giants and has previously written about the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Staten Island Yankees, and NASCAR.