Satou Sabally in the fast lane
Dirk Nowitzki spins hard for the unicorn in Dallas
September 20, 2023, 12:05 p.m
Satou Sabally is in the WNBA playoff semifinals for the first time with the Dallas Wings. The all-star played a big part in making it this far. Dirk Nowitzki is also very enthusiastic about the German national basketball player.
The glasses clinked as Satou Sabally celebrated a day of celebration with the Dallas Wings in the locker room at College Park Center. It may have been champagne that the basketball players enjoyed for good reason, as the franchise is in the WNBA playoff semifinals for the first time since moving from Tulsa seven years ago. Not least because of the Berliner.
Sabally, nicknamed “Unicorn” because of her unique versatility, is stronger than ever. And so Dirk Nowitzki took a detour to his adopted hometown. The German basketball idol took a seat in the front row of the arena in Arlington as a noble fan, twirled around with a small towel and watched as Dallas beat quarterfinal opponent Atlanta Dream 101:74. The best-of-three series went to the Wings 2-0.
Seven players scored double figures, including Sabally. This had never happened before in a playoff game in the US professional league. The 25-year-old had 13 points and six assists. Almost a little, in the first duel against Atlanta the Allstar finally set a playoff record for the Wings with 32 points.
The best year of the US career
“It’s difficult to defend against all of us. We shared the ball well, you can see that on the scoreboard,” said Sabally after the biggest success of her WNBA career so far. Starting on Sunday there will be a best-of-five series against main round winners Las Vegas Aces, with Dallas being the big outsider.
Sabally is hoping for a surprise, but the favorite will particularly have her on their list. The national player averaged 18.6 points in the main round and showed her first 40-point game at the Indiana Fever (110:100) at the beginning of the month. It is the best year of her US career; with Fenerbahce Istanbul, Sabally became Turkish champion three times during the WNBA breaks and won the EuroLeague once.
Now a very special duel awaits in the WNBA. Because Sabally’s younger sister Nyara is also in the top four in the championship round with New York Liberty. However, the 23-year-old was again not used in the decisive 2-0 victory over the Washington Mystics (90:85 nV). New York will now play against the Minnesota Lynx or Connecticut Sun, and the “Sister Act” can only happen in the final.