The No. 1 concern for Satou Sabally is her health.
She suffered a serious concussion during Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Finals last October while playing for the Phoenix Mercury. She was ruled out for Game 4, which ended up being the final game of the series. She was expected to play in Unrivaled the following January, though, until it was announced that she would miss the entire second season of the 3×3 league. The long recovery period made the situation concerning.
Then, she signed with the New York
Liberty in free agency, which made New York the team to beat in many people’s eyes, even ahead of the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces. Excitement was high for Sabally to potentially be able to put the concussion behind her and continue what had become a superstar career.
But this story took another bad turn when Sabally suffered a second concussion on June 23. The concern shot up again, and reached its peak on Sept. 3 when it was announced that she would not play again in the 2026 WNBA season. It was previously reported in August that she was stepping away from the Liberty to focus on her recovery.
Sabally should be applauded for taking her recovery seriously
Ever since the 2013 documentary “League of Denial” called attention to head injuries in the NFL, concussions have been taken more seriously in all sports. The good news for Sabally, and basketball players in general, is that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is the focus of “League of Denial,” is not linked to occasional concussions, but rather the repeated blows to the head that football players face the potential to sustain on every single play.
Still, even without CTE, there are potential lingering effects of concussions that can occur throughout a person’s life. They can be serious, from trouble concentrating and memory loss to depression. Not everyone will experience these symptoms, but concussions that occur close together must be treated with caution.
We saw this become an issue with NFL player Tua Tagovailoa, who, in 2024, as the quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, suffered the fourth concussion of his football career (including college), and third in three years. There was an outpouring of support for him, as fans hoped he would do what was best for his health. The media talked about him potentially needing to retire to protect himself. However, they remained aware that it would be a difficult decision for the 26-year-old to give up the game he loved.
Tagovailoa did not retire, and fortunately hasn’t suffered a concussion since. He played in and started 14 games in 2025, and is now in competition for the Atlanta Falcons’ starting quarterback position.
Sabally, who is 28 years old, might not be weighing whether to retire after two concussions. We don’t know exactly how serious her situation is.
Unfortunately, it’s already been serious enough to keep her out of Unrivaled and for the remainder of the current WNBA season. She also missed the recent World Cup, which took place in Germany, the country she grew up in and represents in international play. Here are her thoughts on the difficult decision to sit out:
It’s incredibly hard for me to share that I won’t be able to be part of the World Cup in Berlin. Competing at the World Cup at home, in front of you, my family, and with this team is something I’ve worked toward for years.
Right now, I have to listen to my body, put my health first and prioritize my full recovery. I feel your support for all these years and I’m so grateful for it. I’m incredibly proud of this team and I’ll be with you all in spirit, cheering from afar.”
The Unicorn is a special talent who everyone wants to see back at her best
Sabally’s nickname is the Unicorn because of her versatility as a 6-foot-4 forward.
She was the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft and played for the Dallas Wings her first five years in the W. She ascended from star to superstar when she finished fifth in MVP voting in 2023, putting up phenomenal numbers: 18.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game. That year, she was also the Most Improved Player, an All-Star Game starter and an All-WNBA First Teamer.
She followed that up with 17.9 points, 6.4 boards, five helpers and 1.3 swipes per game in 2024, while shooting a superb 45.2 percent from 3 with 38 makes. However, she only played in 15 games that year due to injury. She missed big chunks of 2021 and 2022 with injuries as well.
Last season was her second with over 20 games; she played in 39, averaging 16.3 points per game and being named an All-Star for the third time in her career. She was part of Phoenix’s Big 3, along with Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper, notching 19 points per game and seven rebounds per game across 10 playoff contests to help guide the Mercury to a runner-up finish that many didn’t think they were capable of.
At 28, Sabally is in her prime. It’s already been sad to see how injuries have limited her time on the court. Hopefully she has a lot of WNBA basketball ahead of her.
Concussions can be tricky. They’re not injuries that make you physically incapable of playing. You can feel fine when really you shouldn’t return just yet because of potential future consequences. The sports community has become more and more aware of this conundrum, and we’re seeing that in the way those close to Sabally, including Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco and teammate Breanna Stewart, are handling the situation.
Nobody is putting pressure on her. That’s the way it should be.
