What Sabrina Ionescu’s injury means for her rookie season and the New York Liberty

New York Liberty coach Walt Hopkins did not mince words about ankle injury from guard Sabrina Ionescu, however long she was out, “It’s a huge loss.”

In the Liberty game against the Atlanta Dream on Friday, Ionescu rolled her left ankle as she stepped onto the foot of opponent Betnijah Laney as she brought the ball onto the pitch. ESPN’s Holly Rowe has reported the injury as a grade 3 sprain that could put the rest of Ionescu’s rookie season at risk, most notably a shortened season – 22 games – due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are still playing it by ear,” said Hopkins on Sunday. “She has to go into it a little deeper, and then we have a better answer.”

While we don’t yet know specific details of Ionescu’s injury, let’s take a look at how similar injuries typically affect top athletes and what could be the future for the Liberty.

What is a grade 3 sprain?

The Liberty has not yet confirmed the severity of the injury. Speaking in general terms without specific information about the Ionescu case, ESPN injury analyst Stephania Bell said that in such a circumstance it is not uncommon for the evaluation process to continue.

If it is indeed grade 3, it is the most serious type of ankle sprain, characterized by severe swelling and instability of the joint. It indicates that a ligament has been torn.

“We’re talking about grade 3 being a complete tear,” said Bell. “But it is also true that there may still be a part of the ligament that is still attached. But it is essentially a stability assessment. So from a functional point of view, it can be a complete tear even if some segments are still intact.”

Bell said potential cartilage damage and bone bruises should also be assessed.

“Those things will all come into play when comparing how quickly someone can make progress, in weight gain, and what healing parameters look like,” Bell said.

How long does the recovery process take?

That depends in part on the severity of the injury – Rowe reported that initially Ionescu was thought not to require surgery – and in part on how different individuals healed. Bell said the general range for recovery from a grade 3 sprain is several weeks to several months.

The WNBA regular season ends on September 12, followed by the playoffs. At this point, the 0-4 Liberty, in a rebuilding year and with seven rookies on the 12 player list, is not expected to be a postseason team. As such, it’s likely that there will be six weeks left of their season.

“The danger of saying, ‘Oh, it’s always that long,’ said Bell on the recovery timeline, ‘is for someone, it’s not that long or it’s not as bad as they thought. In Sabrina’s case, she’s such an incredible athlete, and she’s really not hurt in her college career. If she recovers something like the way she plays, it can play a role in how quickly she can come back.

As of Sunday, Ionescu had not addressed the media about her injury. But she spoke to Rowe shortly before Sunday’s game and expressed hope for the best for her forecast and desire to support her team from the bench.

.@sportsiren talked to @ sabrina_i20 for today @nyliberty game. pic.twitter.com/4g2sNsWmaY

Wnba (@wnba) August 2, 2020

Ionescu missed four games of her freshman season in Oregon due to a thumb injury. She did not miss any games in her second, second and third seasons.

Even if Ionescu can heal quickly enough to try to be back on the field before the end of the season, the Liberty should judge if that’s even wise.

Will Ionescu leave the WNBA bubble for review or treatment?

Hopkins said on Sunday that it is too early to say what the next steps will be.

“We will provide the best care to Sabrina,” tweeted Liberty / Nets owner Joseph Tsai on Saturday. “She’s coming back stronger.”

We will provide the best care to Sabrina. She comes back stronger. https://t.co/yNlsnvW6lB

Joe tsai (@ joetsai1999) August 1, 2020

Bell points out that the Liberty and Nets are affiliated with the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York, a renowned orthopedic facility, and HSS associate Nets team physician Martin O’Malley is considered one of the top ankle and foot specialists of the country . He had surgery on Kevin Durant’s Achilles tendon last year.

“Sabrina will have access to some excellent people,” said Bell, “who not only understand how to get a competitive athlete back, but are also very used to dealing with injuries like this.”

What could the rehabilitation process look like?

Ionescu sits on crutches and in a protective boot. The first goal is to control the swelling and protect the joint before working to regain the range of motion. There is also work to do to strengthen the lateral muscles that support the outside of the ankle joint.

“You really want to train it, not only to make sure you have the strength there, but also the reactivity,” said Bell. “Your biggest concern after a sprain like this is a recurrence of this type of injury. You don’t want it to become a chronic ankle instability problem. You don’t have to do the activity too soon.

“There’s also neuromuscular coordination training as part of higher-level rehabilitation. That’s reactivity training. When you get out of balance, your nervous system picks it up and kicks those muscles into gear to try to avoid you because those little joint receptors can also be damaged with these kinds of injuries. It’s essentially coordination and reaction time and ultimately integrate into sport specific activities. “

What impact will the absence of Ionescu have on the Liberty?

New York lost 96-67 on Sunday to the Phoenix Mercury. With such a young selection, the Liberty were chosen to finish last with a healthy Ionescu. Without her, it is even more difficult for New York.

After a tough shooting performance – 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists – in the Liberty’s opener on July 25 against the Seattle Storm, Ionescu had 33 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists in her second game four days later against the Dallas Wings. She had 10 points on 4-of-5 shots before sustaining the injury against Atlanta.

“There is not much time to adjust the X-and-O mode if someone is injured,” said security guard Layshia Clarendon, Liberty’s most experienced player, in her eighth season. Emotionally, Sabrina then brings her a tenacity and a fire and the competitiveness that you could really see we missed, especially towards the end of [Sunday’s] game.”

The Mercury was better than New York 34-11 in the fourth period.

“We just lost our battle and stopped,” Clarendon said. “It was embarrassing to watch and something we just discussed in the dressing room. That’s a character thing we’re constantly growing into. ”

Au !! @ sabrina_i20 Get healthy as soon as possible! . Health is wealth

LeBron James (@KingJames) July 31, 2020

Clarendon was limited to nine games last season while she was with Connecticut, as she stepped on a teammate’s foot and sustained an ankle injury that required surgery. She knows what Ionescu is going through.

“I gave her a big hug. There aren’t many words, ”said Clarendon. “At least I told her it was this year, when it was a reconstruction year.”

Again, no one has officially said how long Ionescu will be out, but Clarendon seems to think she may not be back before 2020.

“She tasted what it was like to play in this league,” said Clarendon. “Now she can just have a really good, healthy off-season and prepare for the next season.”

Who should step forward for New York?

Short answer: everyone. More specifically, there is more weight for the guards Clarendon, Kia Nurse, a third-year player from UConn, and Jazmine Jones, a rookie from Louisville.

New York is not only Ionescu. The Liberty also misses guard Asia Durr, the number 2 overall choice last year who has been medically exempted this season after illness due to COVID-19.

Clarendon and Nurse started on Sunday and combined for 29 points and five assists. Jones came off the bench for 3 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

“No one can do everything Sab has done for us,” said the nurse. “Really, everyone has to go a little further, especially we on the edge who have a lot of control over the ball.”

But the Liberty’s other five rookies – attackers Joyner Holmes, Kylee Shook, Leaonna Odom and Megan Walker and attacker / guard Jocelyn Willoughby – could be an important part of the team’s future and of the present. Willoughby averaged the most points of that group so far, at 7.0.

“After the first week of training camp, I met all the younger players,” said Hopkins. “And we discussed how special this opportunity is. Few rookies get into the league and play significant minutes and have impact and mistakes.

“You don’t see it often. We literally all play important minutes and key points in the game. And that will not change. There is more to come now. ”

Has another No. 1 WNBA draft pick missed a substantial part of her rookie season?

In 2007, Lindsey Harding of the Minnesota Lynx shortened her first season on July 10 due to an ACL injury she sustained in a game in Washington. She was limited to 20 games, the least in which a No. 1 pick has appeared since the WNBA launched in 1997. No other top pick has appeared as a rookie in less than 27 games. Harding averaged 30.1 minutes in her 20 games.

Charlotte’s Janel McCarville, the Best Choice in 2005, was delayed as a rookie by a back injury. She played in 28 games, but took only 11.1 minutes on average. Cleveland’s Ann Wauters (19.3 MPG in 2000) was the only other top pick averaging less than 21 minutes on average as a WNBA rookie.