NFL
By: Davion Moore
The Toronto Tempo are new to the WNBA, but the team is full of familiar faces. There are veterans on the team, and the franchise added them through an expansion draft.
Looking at that draft, Bridget Carleton was the first pick of the draft. The Portland Fire made the first selection, and they selected the Minnesota Lynx veteran. Right after that, Toronto selected Julie Allemand, and she played with the Los Angeles Sparks before joining the Tempo.
Once those picks were out of the way, both teams continued to shape their roster. Nyara Sabally was Toronto’s next pick, and she has been in the league since 2022. She was drafted by the New York Liberty in that year’s draft, but she missed that season due to injury.
Sabally made her debut in 2023, and she played 33 games. She came off the bench in all of those games, and she averaged 2.3 points and 2.1 rebounds during that stretch.
The following year, Sabally played 26 games, and she remained a reserve. The 2024 season was a significant time for the Liberty, as the franchise won its first championship. New York has been involved with the WNBA since its first season, and during those early years, the franchise added its share of Finals appearances. However, the Houston Comets and the Sparks won those matchups.
New York faced Minnesota in 2024, and the Liberty beat the Lynx 3-2. It was a competitive series, and they bounced back from their loss against the Las Vegas Aces. The Aces beat them 3-1 in 2023, which led to back-to-back titles.
Sabally Steps Up
In the series against the Lynx, Sabally saw her share of minutes. She contributed off the bench, and her best game during that time was New York’s last. The Liberty beat the Lynx 67-62, and Sabally had 13 points. She helped her team take the lead in the third quarter, and she and her teammates became champions.
The following year, the Liberty reserve played 17 games. She missed time due to an injury, but she averaged a career-high 5.4 points and 4.5 rebounds. Now, she is making an impact in Toronto.
On Wednesday, Sabally helped the Tempo win their fourth game. They beat the Chicago Sky 111-104, and the 2024 champion was Toronto’s leading scorer. She had a career-high 29 points, and she had six rebounds in the process. It was a big game, and the Tempo is 4-4 as a result.
Sabally brings experience to the team, and as her recent performance shows, she can be a valuable contributor.
