Ionescu not 100%, but cleared to play Unrivaled

MIAMI — New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu says she isn’t 100% after undergoing surgery last month to repair a torn UCL in her right thumb but is cleared to participate in Unrivaled, which tips off Friday.

“[My recovery] has been a little sped up,” Ionescu said Thursday after Unrivaled practice. “If I didn’t have this going on, I probably could have taken a little bit more time just rehabbing, letting it heal. But I’m fully cleared by the doctors to be able to play and continue to do my rehab while I’m out here and get live reps.”

Ionescu was wearing a white wrap on her right thumb — on her shooting hand — during practice, and then a black splint during media availability.

Ionescu arrived in Miami on Jan. 4 but then had to return to Los Angeles a few days later for a follow-up appointment with her doctors. On Jan. 8, she was cleared to participate in all basketball activities.

This week was the first time she was able to resume live-action work.

“I’m a little rusty, but I’m knocking the rust off,” she said.

“She’s capping,” Phantom BC teammate Natasha Cloud interjected.

Ionescu continued: “Everything’s been going really well. … It’s nice to get back out on the court and get live reps in.”

Ionescu was the last player to commit to playing in the new 3-on-3 league, which she said was partly because of her surgery. She tore her thumb ligament during Game 4 of the WNBA Finals in October.

Another part of her delay in joining the league was making sure Unrivaled was willing to work with her schedule and other commitments she has made.

“I’m not going to be here the full time,” Ionescu said. “They’ve been very accommodating knowing that I have obligations I have to be at, being able to work through that with them and knowing I want to be here, fully committed to my teammates and this team.”

One of Ionescu’s absences at Unrivaled will be during NBA All-Star Weekend, which will be Feb. 13-16 in San Francisco — Ionescu’s hometown. On Thursday, she confirmed she’ll be there but would not say which events or activities she’s participating in.