New York Liberty Star Sabrina Ionescu will after all be participating in Unrivaled, a new 3×3 winter basketball league.
Ionescu will join the Phantom Basketball Club in the league’s inaugural season, the league announced Monday, with Ionescu almost assuredly set to be Unrivaled’s final player before its Jan. 17 debut.
In early December, Ionescu underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in her right thumb, an injury she suffered in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals. Still, his deadline to return to court was about four weeks, which would allow him to make his debut when Unrivaled starts.
Ionescu previously said she was considering joining the league for a variety of reasons. In September, as Unrivaled announced the first wave of WNBA stars, Ionescu said she was still thinking about what she was going to do this winter.
“I really enjoyed the offseason, especially being healthy, and seeing how much progress I made year over year,” she said, adding that the months Winter months are also characterized by a busy period. off-field schedule and allow her to spend more time with her husband.
The league, co-founded by Ionescu Freedom teammate, Breanna StewartAnd Minnesota Lynx Before Napheesa Collieraims to keep players fresh and provide a domestic alternative for athletes looking to compete and supplement their income during the WNBA offseason. It brings together most of the WNBA’s top players and promises to pay the highest average salary in the history of the women’s professional sports league. This will give the league equity to its early participants.
Phantom has also undergone other roster changes in recent days. Over the weekend, the club, coached by former Brooklyn Nets player development coach Adam Harrington, acquired Natasha Cloud and the wild card spot used on Ionescu in an exchange. Jackie Young And Tiffany Hayes moved to the Laces basketball club, while Courtney Williams moved to Lunar Owls.
Unrivaled will last eight weeks, ending with a championship set for March 17. The games, which will be played in a modified 3×3 format, will be broadcast on TNT on Monday and Friday nights, as well as Saturdays on TruTV.
Here are the updated rosters:
Phantom BC
Sabrina Ionescu
Natasha Cloud
Brittney Griner
Marina Mabrey
Satou Sabally
Katie Lou Samuelson
BC laces
Stephanie Dolson
Tiffany Hayes
Kate Martin
Kayla McBride
Alyssa Thomas
Jackie Young
Moon Owls BC
ShakiraAustin
Cameron Brink
Napheesa Collier
Skylar Diggins Smith
Allisha Gray
Courtney Williams
BC Mist
DiJonai Carrington
Aaliyah Edwards
Rickea Jackson
Jewell Loyd
Breanna Stewart
Courtney Vandersloot
Rose BC
Kahleah Copper
Chelsea Gray
Lexie Hull
Angel Reese
Azura Stevens
Britney Sykes
BC Vinyl
Aliyah Boston
Rae Burrell
Jordan Canada
Dearica Hamby
Rhyne Howard
Arike Ogunbowale
This article was originally published in Athletics.
New York Liberty, WNBA
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