Ionescu Debuts in Liberty Loss
Published on May 24, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
New York Liberty News Release
NEW YORK - The New York Liberty (3-3) fell in a Sunday afternoon matchup against the Dallas Wings (4-3), 91-76.
Satou Sabally led the Liberty with 20 points against her former team while shooting 50 percent (3-for-6) from long range and adding two rebounds and two assists. Sabally recorded her 75th career game with at least 15 points, and became the 10th player in franchise history to make at least four 3-pointers within her first two games with the Liberty.
Sabrina Ionescu made her season debut and put up 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds. This was Ionescu's 43rd career game with at least 10 points, seven assists and five rebounds, and no other player in league history has recorded even 30 such games through their first seven WNBA seasons. Ionescu dished out six assists in the first half, which is tied for the fourth-most assists by any player in a single first half so far this season.
Breanna Stewart finished with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds to go with three assists and a steal. Stewart passed Crystal Robinson (810) for the fifth-most field goals made in franchise history and moved ahead of Lauren Jackson (2,090) for 16th on the WNBA's all-time field goals made list. Stewart also passed Swin Cash (2,521) for 18th on the WNBA's all-time rebounding list and joined Tina Charles as the only players in franchise history to begin a season with six or more consecutive games of at least 12 points and seven rebounds.
Jonquel Jones put up 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal. Jones passed Sugar Rodgers (1,493) for 13th on the Liberty's all-time scoring list and reached 1,500 points in a Liberty uniform. Jones has grabbed at least seven rebounds in each of her last five games, matching her longest such streak since May of 2025.
Pauline Astier scored seven points and shot 66.7 percent (2-for-3) from the field in 18 minutes off the bench as she tied the WNBA rookie record for consecutive games shooting at least 50 percent from the field to start her career (min. two attempts each game). Han Xu made a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter to tie her career high for made triples in a quarter. Han also made her 25th career 3-pointer to become the first player listed at 6-8 or taller in WNBA history to reach 25 career 3-pointers. Anneli Maley made her Liberty regular-season debut, while Raquel Carrera made her WNBA debut.
The Liberty started the game on an 11-2 run while making the team's first five attempts from the field. New York outrebounded the Wings 8-6 in the first quarter and finished the period with a 20-17 lead. The Liberty entered the break with a 44-43 advantage after shooting 50 percent (16-for-32) from the field and scoring 20 points in the paint before halftime.
Sabally scored 10 points in the third quarter, but the Wings took a 71-61 lead into the final period. Dallas went on an 8-0 run in the fourth before the Liberty fought back to cut the deficit to single digits. The Wings held on for a 91-76 win despite New York doubling the Wings' paint scoring total, 40-20, and setting a franchise record for points through the first six games of a season (546).
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 24, 2026
- Seattle Storm Postgame Notes 5.24.26 - Seattle Storm
- Ionescu Debuts in Liberty Loss - New York Liberty
- Wings Earn Big Win at New York - Dallas Wings
- Game Notes: Atlanta Dream 82, Phoenix Mercury 80 - Atlanta Dream
- Dream Stages Second-Half Comeback to Down Mercury - Atlanta Dream
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