On Friday, WNBA rookie sensation Sabrina Ionescu went down with what appeared to be a serious ankle injury.
Sabrina Ionescu carried off the court after injuring her ankle. pic.twitter.com/CAxIcet5ob
— kwade (@KwadeSays) July 31, 2020
Luckily, it didn’t take long before it was revealed that she had suffered a sprained ankle, but nothing more serious than that.
X-rays on New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu’s left ankle returned negative and showed no fracture, source tells @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. The No. 1 pick suffered ankle sprain tonight.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 1, 2020
Along with the positive prognosis, Ionescu got some encouragement from Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
Ouch!! @sabrina_i20 Get healthy as soon as possible! 🙏🏾. Health is wealth
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 31, 2020
James knows the deep importance of staying healthy for basketball players. He has gained major notoriety for his ability to remain healthy throughout his storied NBA career.
In fact, last season, his first with the Lakers, was the first time in his career where he played less than 60 games. Most notably, he dealt with a groin injury that forced him to shut his season down early.
Luckily, James came back healthy and fresh for the 2019-20 season. He’s only missed a handful of games so far this year.
That fact is a big reason why the Lakers currently have a stranglehold on the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. That lead was increased on Thursday night when the Lakers beat the Los Angeles Clippers inside the NBA’s bubble in Orlando, Fla.
As for Ionescu, hopefully she is able to recover quickly and get back on the court. In her young WNBA career, she has already shown major flashes of greatness.
If she heeds James’ message, she’ll certainly be able to reach her full potential.
