Is Satou Sabally all right? That is the question that might be dominating the minds of attendees at the PHX Arena as Game 3 of the WNBA Finals between the Phoenix Mercury and the Las Vegas Aces continues to be underway. It was only in the previous game that the Mercury star avoided sustaining any major damage to her ankle after a series of things went wrong for her during the matchup. Now, however, she doesn’t seem to be as much ‘out of the woods’ as before.

As Kendra Andrews reported, Satou Sabally appeared to have strained her neck during the matchup. The same occurred after the player hit her head on Kristen Bell’s leg due to an awkward fall. She continued to be down on the surface of the basketball court before being looked at by medical staff. Footage captured by the attendees at the PHX Arena showed Sabally being taken to the locker room by 2 staff members, who each held the player’s arms over their heads, after a 10-minute wait.

Satou Sabally was attempting to make a layup. Both Jewell Lloyd and Jackie Young were guarding her from the front. As Sabally made the shot, her lower body came into contact with Young’s, and she tripped. She would have tripped headfirst had it not been for the top of her head colliding with Kristen Bell’s lower body. The Phoenix Mercury star did not fall too hard, but immediately grabbed her head later.

This injury comes right after the scare Satou Sabally gave back in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals. As 3:57 minutes remained in the 4th quarter, Sabally went down after apparently tweaking her right ankle when she was fouled by Wilson. However, in the practice session before Game 3, Sabally was present and was seen participating without wearing any brace on her right ankle. When she was asked about the condition of her ankle during the practice session, Sabally replied, “It’s good. Thank you”.

Sabally did not return for the rest of Game 3. If she had, perhaps the team could have avoided a 3rd consecutive loss. During the post-game presser, Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts said that he does not have any update on Sabally’s condition. In fact, when he went to see her in the locker room, she wasn’t even there. Game 4 is just 48 hours away. Therefore, in the absence of an update, the Phoenix Mercury still have to figure out some precautions.

How can the Phoenix Mercury proceed without Satou Sabally in Game 4?

Following the potential season-ending injury, Kalani Brown and Kahleah Copper are two players who could see an increase in their on-court minutes if Satou Sabally doesn’t make it to Game 4.

Due to the WNBA’s rules about concussion protocol, Sabally wasn’t required to shoot the free throws earned in the foul committed through the incident that injured the small forward. In light of this, coach Nate Tibbetts chose Kahleah Copper, who made both attempts.

Copper has been delivering well for the Mercury during the playoffs. She averaged 13.7 points in the first round, 16.0 points in the Semi-Finals, and 20.3 points in the 3 Finals matchups till this point. Her field goal percentage has remained above 40% in all 3 stages, and has averaged only 1 turnover per game, till now, in the ongoing Finals. Given the precautions that teams have to take following a potential concussion, it might fall on Copper to cover on the offensive front for the small forward.

The 2025 season marks the first one in which Kalani Brown is representing the Phoenix Mercury. She hasn’t made much of an impression in this debut, since she averaged only 5.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 0.6 assists. However, she did replace Satou Sabally once on the rotation, back in August, after Nate Tibbetts felt that the latter “didn’t bring the energy that we needed”.

The importance of the upcoming Game 4 cannot be underestimated. After all, if the Mercury incurs a loss in that matchup too, the Aces walk away with their 3rd championship title. Therefore, Nate Tibbetts will be doing his best to ensure that the team remains at its best, even with a key offensive player like Satou Sabally being out of the rotation.