Starting Liberty guard Courtney Vandersloot sat Friday’s matchup against the Washington Mystics due to back tightness. The 35-year-old was a late addition to the injury report. She seemed fine after logging 26 minutes in Wednesday’s win over the Mercury, but her head coach choice to sit the veteran with a hectic schedule upcoming, including crucial Commissioner’s Cup matchups.
“We’ve got a crazy schedule coming up, especially with Commissioner’s Cup so it was a smarter thing to not push her tonight,” head coach Sandy Brondello said before tip-off against the Mystics Friday. “When Courtney is out on the court, she’s gonna go 150 percent. So just being cautious.”
The head coach assured that the back injury isn’t a long-term issue.
“She should be back next game,” she said.
Vandersloot’s rest day comes before the team plays five straight Commissioner’s Cup games, beginning on Sunday against the Indiana Fever at Barclays Center. After Sunday’s game, the Libs will head on a three-game road trip, starting with the Chicago Sky on Tuesday. They’ll then head to Atlanta to face the Dream Thursday and finish the trip against the Connecticut Sun next Saturday.
Brondello’s team will head back home to host the Mystics for the fifth Commissioner’s Cup game on June 9.
Including Friday’s game against the Mystics, the Liberty will play six games in 10 days. The defending Commissioner’s Cup champions look to keep their crown, but will have to begin their quest against a team that has already beaten them on their own floor (Sky) and a squad that entered Friday as the lone undefeated team in the WNBA (Sun).
UNRIVALED
Unrivaled, Breanna Stewart’s and Napheesa Collier’s new 3-on-3 basketball league, announced an official launch month on Thursday after much anticipation. The league is set to pay athletes a minimum six-figure salary and promises the highest average salary in U.S. women’s professional sports when it begins.
On Friday, Stewart spoke on the importance of ensuring a big payday for the women that’ll be participating.
“I think that we want Year 1 to be a splash,” Stewart said. “And to be able to make sure that we’re starting big and it’s only gonna get bigger is a big deal. To have the highest average salary ever in women’s sports history is huge.”
The 30 players that participate in the first year of the new league will have equity stake in the venture. Rosters will be announced at a later date, but Stewart disclosed what her pitch is for star teammate Sabrina Ionescu to join the initial 30.
“I’m [going to just] keep telling Sab to come,” Stewart said with a smile.
