Sabrina Ionescu made her season debut on Sunday after being sidelined by a preseason ankle injury, but the Wings came away with the victory. Mike Lawrence / Getty ImagesMay 24, 2026 Updated 6:08 pm EDTNEW YORK — Sabrina Ionescu is equal parts poise and bravado.She exudes the former with the ball in her hands as she evaluates what an opposing team is giving her on defense, and the latter when she saunters down the court, grinning at the crowd after draining 3-pointers from just inside the half-court line.Both defining traits of Ionescu’s were on display Sunday afternoon as she made her season debut at Barclays Center. But it was spoiled by a career-high performance from rookie Azzi Fudd, who finished with 24 points off the bench in the Dallas Wings’ 91-76 win over the New York Liberty. Paige Bueckers tied Fudd in game-high points.Fudd’s Brooklyn reception rivaled that of the Liberty’s leading backcourt playmaker, specifically in the third quarter as she poured in 17 of the Wings’ 28 points, nearly outscoring the Liberty herself in that frame. Ionescu had 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds in her return.
“It’s exciting for me to be able to play my kind of season opener,” Ionescu said on Friday. “Obviously, (I) played in the preseason but haven’t had a regular-season game yet, so I’m excited. Feels like it’s been a while, it hasn’t, but it feels like it’s been forever just having to watch from the sidelines.”Ionescu was ruled out for two weeks after sustaining a left foot injury in the Liberty’s final preseason game. An MRI revealed she avoided significant injury, but Ionescu told reporters on Friday that she suffered some structural damage. Coach Chris DeMarco said before the game that she’d be on a minutes restriction. Ionescu ultimately clocked 31 minutes for the Liberty.The injury, Ionescu said, is nothing that will sideline her or require surgery. She maintained her conditioning levels by using an underwater treadmill and other cardio avenues, which allowed her to make a relatively seamless transition back to the court.Satou Sabally led the Liberty with 20 points. Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones added 14 points a piece. The Wings bench outscored the Liberty 38-17 led by Fudd and Awak Kuier, who added 10 points.May 24, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
