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The Phantom BC will take on the Vinyl BC on Day 3 of the Unrivaled tournament and Sabrina Ionescu is set to suit up take the court for the Phantom. Ionescu was cleared to play by doctors on Jan. 8 and featured in the Phantom’s opening game on Saturday. Unless the Phantom decide to rest her for Monday’s game, she is expected to play.
There were concerns about the three-time WNBA All-Star’s health coming into the competition due to an injury to her right hand. Ionescu suffered a torn UCL in her right thumb during the WNBA finals in October, and had to undergo surgery in December.
On Thursday, Sabrina Ionescu spoke about her progress and returning for the new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league.
“[My recovery] has been a little sped up. If I didn’t have this going on, I probably could have taken a little bit more time just rehabbing, letting it heal. But I’m fully cleared by the doctors to be able to play and continue to do my rehab while I’m out here and get live reps,” said Ionescu.
Ionescu is still working her way back to health, but showed promising signs in the Phantom’s first game. The sharpshooting guard played 32 minutes and finished with a team-high 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting. She converted five of her 13 3-point attempts. Ionescu also chipped in with four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
Due to her situation, Ionescu will likely miss portions of the Unrivaled season, which will take place over the next eight weeks. The WNBA star spoke about her upcoming obligations.
“I’m not going to be here the full time. They’ve been very accommodating knowing that I have obligations I have to be at, being able to work through that with them and knowing I want to be here, fully committed to my teammates and this team,” said Ionescu.
Sabrina Ionescu is coming off a memorable season where she helped guide the New York Liberty to their first-ever WNBA championship. The 27-year-old was also a member of the USA women’s national team roster that won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Sabrina Ionescu’s shooting skills will be a vital asset in the new-look Unrivaled tournament
The Unrivaled and WNBA formats will be very different. At the 3-on-3 Unrivaled tournament, teams will play on a smaller court, have shorter quarters and an 18 second shot clock has been implemented. The new rules will allow players more space and the ability to show of their skills.
Sabrina Ionescu is one player that could thrive in the new-look format, which should suit 3-point shooters. The talented guard is regarded as one of the most efficient shooters in women’s basketball.
Last season, Ionescu ranked fifth in the league with 107 total 3-pointers. In 2023, she led the WNBA with a whopping 128 3-pointers, shooting an incredible 44.8% from behind the arc.
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Edited by Debasish
