History nearly repeated itself for the Liberty, with another rushed comeback. However, this time, Sabrina Ionescu’s grit (and some serious neck strength) saved them. “We always ask the players if they’re good to go. She felt she was good to go,” said coach Sandy Brondello after Jonquel Jones’ situation. Jones had initially suffered only a low-grade ankle sprain on June 5 and was then out for two weeks before returning for Tuesday’s home game against the Phoenix. There, she re-aggravated her injury because of being brought back too soon.
Seems like Sabrina Ionescu felt that she was good to go as Liberty faced the Valkyries. Her return was crucial, especially because in her absence, the Liberty fell to 10-3 after losing against the Storm. Ionescu’s last-minute absence came because “she woke up with a bit of a kink in her neck.” The issue apparently started after their cross-country flight on Friday. During Saturday’s practice, Sabrina Ionescu had to step aside to work on her neck and back. But things took a turn overnight.
As coach Sandy Brondello explained: “I think it was from the flight, just feeling tired, but it’s just worse today.” She bounced back with a bang. On paper, it looked like the perfect return, but as we dug deeper, the cracks begun to show. According to a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ionescu’s night could have also gone a different way like it did for JJ. It read, “Sabrina Ionescu said she wasn’t sure whether she’d be able to play because of her neck injury. She still wasn’t 100% tonight and couldn’t fully turn her neck in either direction. But she said the pain is manageable.”
Sabrina Ionescu said she wasn’t sure whether she’d be able to play because of her neck injury. She still wasn’t 100% tonight and couldn’t fully turn her neck in either direction. But she said the pain is manageable.
— Madeline Kenney (@madkenney) June 26, 2025
That was a gamble right there, but maybe a calculated one. Because that run concluded in a close 3 point win, that came after staying tied at the end of both, 3rd and 4th quarters. Ionescu there, as The Walnut Creek native was their most important player. She stepped up to the free-throw line with just 8.9 seconds, and made it. She also had an important steal with fewer than 26 seconds to play and scored seven points in the final two minutes.
Other players contributed hugely too. Breanna Stewart put up a double-double while Kennedy Burke dazzled off the bench as the Liberty got back in the win column. Stewart put up 23 points and 10 rebounds while Burke had 20 in relief thanks primarily to a quartet of triples. The squad as a whole managed to closely avoid their first three-game losing streak for the season.
The win served as a reminder of the Liberty’s championship pedigree, but it also underscored the toll of a grueling season, with stars like Jonquel playing through injury as the spotlight on New York grows ever brighter.
Halfway through their road trip, soon the Liberty will return to action on Friday night for another late tip against the Phoenix Mercury (10 p.m. ET, Ion).
Sabrina Ionescu might have won the battle, Valkyries Won the War
The Golden State Valkyries are winning the bigger game. Just over a month into their debut season, the Valkyries have already overtaken the New York Liberty in franchise value. The have hit an unprecedented $500 million in Sportico’s latest rankings. That makes them the most valuable women’s pro sports team ever. Meanwhile, the Liberty, despite their stacked roster, championship pedigree, and deep playoff run, sit at $420 million. The Valkyries are barely above .500 at 7-6.
Oct 10, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Moreover, they lack a true superstar, and their top draft pick is sidelined for the season. Yet, they’re already at the top, just not in the win column. So how did a team with zero playoff history outvalue the league’s most proven squad? Three words: money, hype, and market dominance. The Valkyries sold 10,000 season tickets before even stepping on the court, that’s a WNBA first. Every home game at Chase Center has sold out, with courtside seats going for around $1,500 each (on par with some NBA teams).
Their season opener alone raked in $3 million in ticket sales, and they’ve got another game generating similar revenue. According to Sportico, their 2025 revenue is projected at $70 million, that is more than double any WNBA team’s earnings last year and even surpassing half of MLS clubs. This explosion isn’t just a Bay Area thing, though. Caitlin Clark’s arrival has sent league-wide franchise valuations skyrocketing, even tripling in some cases. While WNBA games now pull in about 75% of NBA viewership.
But there’s a catch: player salaries are still shockingly low, and the current collective bargaining agreement expires in October. If players push for pay that matches their rising worth, we could be looking at a strike. One where, for the first time, they actually hold the power. Until then, the Valkyries prove that in today’s WNBA, dominating off the court matters just as much as winning on it.
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