How a Liberty reserve and a halftime adjustment helped secure the WNBA Finals

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Nyara Sabally was barely in the rotation just a few weeks ago. But in the deciding Game 5 of the WNBA Finals between the Lynx and the Liberty, she was the x-factor.

BROOKLYN — Sabrina Ionescu shot an abysmal 1-19 from the field, while Breanna Stewart posted 13 points on just 4-15 FG. On paper, those Liberty shooting splits seemed likely to spell disaster for the Liberty in a decisive WNBA Finals against the Lynx.

But, the Liberty still became 2024 WNBA champions, hoisting the trophy for the first time in franchise history after a 67-62 overtime win. And, despite undeniable shooting struggles by their two biggest stars, New York’s reserve center — used sparingly throughout these playoffs — was ultimately a massive part of why they were able to get it done.

Nyara Sabally exploded for 13 points in a playoff career-high 17 minutes, a steep jump from her usual numbers; the 6’ 5 center averaged just 4.9 points per game this season — and played a grand total of 15 minutes in the entire semifinals series against the Aces.

“You were the x-factor tonight,” a jubilant Stewart said to an emotional Sabally at the postgame podium. “Because, listen, we were tired. We’re trying to do whatever we could.”

As Jonquel Jones, Nyara Sabally, Sandy Brondello, and Breanna Stewart sat at the podium for a reflective, 30-minute presser, Sabally stood out at the one player who wasn’t expected to be up there.

“We needed a spark, and she was that,” Stewart said, addressing a room inundated with so much media that dozens stood in a crowd toward the back. “She just continued to trust the process. And we’re so proud.”

Most of the Sabally’s damage was done in the second half, when the Liberty erased a 7-point deficit to regain control of the game. Sabally scored 7 consecutive points for the Liberty in the third quarter, helping the Liberty gain their first lead of the game. She also recorded 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a steal, making momentous plays on both ends that shifted the tide of the game.

The career night was punctuated by a thunderous steal and breakaway layup in overtime that gave the Liberty a 5-point advantage with three minutes to spare — and brought the Barclay’s Center crowd to its loudest, cheers reverberating throughout the sold-out arena.

And, though Nyara Sabaly was certainly an excellent player in college when healthy, who showed flashes of brilliance in the WNBA, few could have predicted that it would be her who would play such a pivotal role in ensuring the most important victory in Liberty franchise history.

After the final buzzer sounded, an emotional Nyara embraced her sister, Satou, a fellow WNBA player who stars on the Dallas Wings. Postgame, Nyara was asked about whether she now has bragging rights over her sister, and explained how it was actually quite the opposite.

“This ring is for my whole family, basically, specifically Satou,” Nyara said. “She’s been with me every step of the way, has been in my corner through the ups and downs — and I’ve had a lot of downs in my career. This ring is for her as much as it is for me.”

Nyara Sabally, who was drafted with the No. 5 overall pick in 2022 two full seasons at Oregon, has been hampered by injuries throughout her career. She suffered two torn ACLs in college, and then missed her entire rookie season due to a third right-knee surgery. But, even before Game 5, it was clear she was ready to impact the series, bringing physicality and energy every time she checked in in the first four games.

As Sabally made her way to centercourt for the postgame celebration, the crowd repeatedly chanted her last name, bringing her to tears: “Sabally! Sabally!”

A part of what allowed Sabally to play such increased minutes was Sandy Brondello’s willingness to play her alongside the Liberty’s two All-WNBA bigs. For the first time all season, Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello employed a lineup composed of Leonie Fiebich, Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Nyara Sabally. That group of five hadn’t shared the court for a single second all season.

That decision ultimately served as a series-altering move, as the lineup’s size was too much for the Lynx to overcome, and helped contribute to a 44-33 Liberty advantage on the glass. The Lynx’s rebounding woes were exacerbated by Napheesa Collier playing much of the second half in foul trouble, and Alanna Smith battling a re-aggravated back injury.

At halftime, with the Liberty out of sorts offensively, Brondello gave Sabally a career-defining heads up: expect more second-half minutes.

“I just felt going with a bigger lineup, I said, ‘Okay, we may go for a big lineup. So, Nyara, you’re coming in,’” Brondello said postgame. “I just thought what she brings. She has that x-factor, her ability to make one-on-one plays, to rebound the ball, to play great defense — all that.”

After the win, Brondello expressed how proud she was of the 24-year-old, who appeared in just 19 games this season and scored a total of 77 points.

“I know she’s had a lot of adversity over her career, but I mean, the biggest game of her career, and she really rose to the occasion,” Brondello said. ‘“For a young player, that says a lot about her. I mean, the future is pretty bright.”

Breanna Stewart was never directly asked about Nyara Sabally’s impact by the media, but she asked if she could speak on it. Stewart pointed out that Sabally barely played in the previous second-round series against the Aces, making her breakout Finals performance even more impressive.

“She stayed ready, and knew that in the Finals, her time would come,” Stewart said.

Staying sharp was never a question for Nyara Sabally, despite the fluctuating opportunities.

In the semifinals, Sabally received DNPs in two of four games, playing a total of just 15 minutes in the series. She matched that floor time in the second half alone of Sunday’s franchise-altering win.

“You need to be ready to go, because our team has such a high standard, and really to be able to live up to that, you have to be mentally ready, otherwise you’ll just kind of hurt the team in the long run, “ Sabally said. “But with great teammates like that, it’s kind of easy to just get on the floor and leave it all out there.

It wouldn’t be fair to give Sabally all the credit for the win, as she was far from the only pivotal Liberty contributor in the Game 5 win. Jonquel Jones, who was named Finals MVP, led the way with 17 points on 5-10 shooting, while Leonie Fiebich added 13 after serving as one of New York’s most consistent players all series.

Breanna Stewart, for all her offensive struggles, still finished the night with 13 points and 7 assists, and dominated the glass with a game-high 15 rebounds. Kayla Thornton also provided key minutes off the bench, and while Ionescu’s shot was off, she was solid defensively and dished out a game-high 8 assists.

Still, Game 5 will go down in history as a physical manifestation of what happen swhen a promising young player stays locked in even when their role is uncertain and their minutes up-and-down. For Sabally, it wasn’t just an individual effort, but a confidence instilled in her from her teammates and coaches.

“There’s just been unwavering support, whether it’s from Sandy or my teammates,” Sabally said. “Everybody in this organization has always kind of believed in me, which means so much. They drafted me knowing I had to sit out a year. That just shows how much trust they have in me.”

When Nyara Sabally checks in, she’s not expected to score 20 or hit three-pointers or do a lot of her teammates are doing out there. She’s simply tasked with providing energy, playing with pace, and crashing the glass. There’s’ enough firepower on the Liberty roster where she doesn’t have to play outside of herself.

“My role is pretty simple,” Sabally said. “Run the floor, get rebounds and maybe shoot some buckets. But they [my teammates] make it make it really easy. They make it really easy for me.”

And sharing the floor with three All-WNBA players in Ionescu, Stewart, and Jones is something that never gets old.

“There’s so much talent on the floor, and just be being able to bring something to that, it’s just something everybody dreams of,” Sabally said.

Leonie Fiebich, who is teammates with Sabally on the German national team, heaped praise on her longtime friend after the victory, making the most incisive statement of the night: they very well might not have won this chip without Nyara Sabally.

“I’m so proud of her with how she came in and just changed the game,” Fiebich said. “I don’t know if we would have won the game without her energy, her effort, her relentlessness.”

For Sabally, a massive Game 5 could be a peek into what a long and successful WNBA career could look like. At the same time, it’s a reminder of the journey of how far she’s come already. Her breakout performance is one that will forever cement her as a Liberty legend.

“It means the world to be able to have players like Stewie and JJ — who I’ve looked up to my whole career — be my teammates, and now win a championship with them,” Sabally said. “That’s something I will remember forever.”