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Alexa Philippou, ESPN
New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu suffered a high-grade UCL tear on her right shooting hand during Game 4 of the WNBA Finals, a source familiar with the situation told ESPN Thursday.
Ionescu, who helped guide the Liberty to their first WNBA championship earlier this month, will be reevaluated in four weeks and is expected to make a full recovery.
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The UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) is located on the inside edge of the thumb near where the thumb meets the palm. No surgery is required at the moment.
Ionescu had been spotted recently with her hand wrapped and sporting a splint on her thumb.
Ionescu, whose game-winning 28-foot 3-pointer in Game 3 became one of the most iconic shots in WNBA playoff history, struggled with her shot down the stretch of the Finals, particularly in the winner-take-all Game 5 with a 1 for 19 outing that included a 1 for 10 clip from the 3-point arc. New York ultimately won 67-62 in overtime.
The Liberty’s second-leading scorer in the playoffs (16.9 PPG), Ionescu finished with five points in Game 5, making an impact in other ways with seven rebounds, eight assists, two steals and a block.
The former Oregon star and 2020 No. 1 overall pick previously earned second-team all-WNBA honors this season as well as an Olympic gold medal earlier this summer with USA Basketball.
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