Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu exits game with ankle injury

NY top draft pick Sabrina Ionescu injured her ankle in the second quarter against Atlanta and did not return to action in the Liberty's 84-78 loss to the Dream on Friday night.

Ionescu had to be helped off the court and wasn't putting weight on the ankle.

Ionescu suffered the left ankle injury when she stepped on the foot of Dream guard Betnijah Laney while crossing halfcourt in the second quarter.

A film session with a two-time MVP and three-time National Basketball Association champion would pay dividends for anyone, and Ionescu was no exception as she rebounded from that to explode for 33 points, seven assists and seven rebounds in her next game against the Dallas Wings. Ionescu had 12 points, six rebounds and four assists in her debut on Saturday, a loss to the Seattle Storm.

NBA-TV reported that Ionescu was getting X-rays on the ankle as the second half started.

Ionescu will take the floor again Friday when the Liberty take on the Atlanta Dream in the "wubble".

Liberty coach Walt Hopkins said Ionescu was still being evaluated after the game and believed she was at a local hospital with general manager Jonathan Kolb accompanying her. She returned to play 22.5 minutes on Wednesday but was out Friday. NY fell to 0-3 on the season, losing 84-78 to Atlanta.

Ionescu became the first player in NCAA history to record 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds and is the sport's all-time leader among NCAA men and women with 26 career triple-doubles.