DALLAS — With Napheesa Collier out for the foreseeable future with a sprained right ankle, the conversation for this year’s MVP has become more intriguing — and Sabrina Ionescu is a dark horse in the race.
Sandy Brondello campaigned for Ionescu before Friday’s 88-77 win against the Dallas Wings, saying the four-time All-Star should be “right up there” on the list of candidates.
But being an MVP for Ionescu would be more of a byproduct of her real goal this season, which is to lead the Liberty to a second straight WNBA championship.
“That’s the top of everything,” Ionescu told The Post. “Obviously I know when I’m playing like an MVP, we always have a great chance of winning, like, when I’m out and doing all the things that I do because for me, it’s not just scoring. It’s my ability to get assists, to get rebounds, to do the things kind of all around on the ball — not just scoring. And so I do know when I’m able to kind of dip into all those categories, we’re a tough team to beat.”
The Liberty have been battered with injuries this season. They have played only two games at full strength and have played significant stretches without either Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart.
But Ionescu, who had 16 points, six rebounds and six assists Friday, has been a constant for the Liberty night in and night out.
Ionescu has missed only one game this season because of a kink in her neck. The tightness impacted her play during that road trip, but other than that, she has continued to carry the Liberty, who remain second in the league standings despite all the adversity they’ve been dealt this season.
Ionescu entered Friday fifth in the league in scoring, averaging a career-high 20 points per game. She’s sixth among guards in rebounds (4.9) and eighth in the league for assists (5.5) while averaging the 11th-most minutes in the league.
She was named Player of the Month in July and has been on a tear since the All-Star break.
But the numbers tell only part of the story for Ionescu, whose impact can’t always be quantified in the box score.
Ionescu has a gravitational pull that can disrupt a defense. Her off-ball movements can open opportunities for her teammates.
She can push the ball in transition or throw a 40-foot heave that’s perfectly placed for her teammate in front of her.
Ionescu has improved as a defender, too. Some of that is in part because she entered this season in the best shape of her life.
“She’s been really impressive for us all season long with whatever we need,” Brondello said. “Obviously we know that she can score the ball. She has been doing that at a high rate but her ability to rebound, her ability to create offense for her teammates. Yes, she should definitely be in [MVP] the conversation.”
There’s no minimum number of games played required for the MVP award like in the NBA, though some voters believe players should play in roughly 75 to 80 percent of the regular season to be considered eligible. This year, that would mean 33 to 35 games.
Collier, who has played in 26 games, is expected to miss at least two weeks but could be sidelined for longer. Alyssa Thomas, who has appeared in 25 games, is also deserving of being part of the MVP conversation.
A’ja Wilson’s case for her fourth MVP is marred by the Aces’ rocky play this season.
Ionescu has the chance to raise her MVP stock over the Liberty’s 14 remaining games in the regular season — not that it’s something she’s worrying about.
“[I] just kind of try and focus on the things that I can control and being obviously the best that I can for this team and getting wins,” Ionescu said. “But obviously I’d say what I’m most proud of is just how I can continue to get better every year in so many different ways and on both sides of the ball and not really being satisfied with the year I’ve had but continuing to try and do more. And that’s something, it’s hard to do and something that I’ve always done in my career is continue to get better. And so I know I’m not even really scratching the surface of the player that I will be when this is all said and done. And so just trying to continue to hold myself to that standard and do whatever it is that the team needs me to win.”
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