After teasing a potential reunion with the Dallas Wings this offseason after news that she would not be returning to the Phoenix Mercury, three-time All-Star Satou Sabally is headed to New York. She will be joining the New York Liberty on a multi-year according to ESPN.
Per ESPN, Sabally’s decision to sign with the Liberty stemmed from her desire to compete for championships and the culture New York has already created. The Liberty are a year removed from winning it all in 2024, and Satou helped lead the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA Finals last season.
Unfortunately, Sabally would miss the final game of the Finals after suffering a concussion in game three, and Phoenix would get swept by the Las Vegas Aces. In the postseason, Sabally would average 19 points and seven rebounds. She would also miss the Unrivaled season due to lingering concussion symptoms.
Sabally will reunite with her college teammate, Sabrina Ionescu, at the University of Oregon. She will also reunite with Leonie Fiebich, the two played together with Valencia Basket during the WNBA offseason.
Sabrina Ionescu, who is currently in China as part of her Nike Basketball tour and practicing her Tai Chi at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, responded on her Instagram Story after news of Sabally’s signing.
Satou Sabally, before this year’s WNBA expansion draft, probably wanted to team up with her sister Nyara Sabally in New York as members of the Liberty, but unfortunately, the Toronto Tympo selected her.
Last season, in an interview with Lisa Leslie and Just Women’s Sports, Satou spoke about wanting to play with her sister all the time. They just missed each other at Oregon, and now again with the Liberty.
“My sister is my biggest supporter, and I’m hers. Throughout college, we never got to play together—we’ve always missed each other by an inch. But we’ve really embraced growing together and supporting one another.
Last year, during the championship, I was at every one of her games, fully embracing that sister role. I wanted her to win—I was like, ‘Bring that ring to the family.’
Now, I’m motivated by her to go all the way, because I’ve seen how hard it is. I saw what she went through—just being there with her after games, trying to give her that energy. We really pour into each other.
And this year, I truly hope we meet in the finals and get to play against each other.”
While at Unrivaled last season, Satou also reiterated her desire to play alongside her sister in the WNBA one day.
“Yeah, of course, in the future, I would love that.”
The Liberty also resigned 2024 Finals MVP Jonquel Jones, who spent the last three seasons with the team after being traded from the Connecticut Sun after spending her first six years in Connecticut. Jones averaged 13.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game in 2025 for New York, after missing 31-44 games last season due to injury. The future Hall of Famer is the first player in WNBA history to earn MVP, Sixth Woman of the Year, and WNBA Most Improved Player.
