If you grew up with a sibling, you’ve probably had a parent tell you, “It’s not always a competition,” too many times to count. But for WNBA star sisters Satou & Nyara Sabally, the past week has literally been a competition. That’s because their teams, Satou’s Phoenix Mercury and Nyara’s New York Liberty, are playing against each other in the first round of the WNBA playoffs. It’s also the very first time in league history that two sisters have competed in a playoff series. While a knee issue has kept Nyara mostly sidelined since July, we’re crossing our fingers that she gets cleared to play for tonight’s game. In the meantime, let’s get to know the WNBA’s most inspiring sister duo.
Satou and Nyara were both born in the United States, but grew up in Berlin, Germany, where their family – especially their mom – encouraged them to play sports. Their passion for basketball was ignited after a youth basketball coach saw them on the court. “[We] were approached on the playground because we were very tall,” said Nyara. From there, Satou joined a boys’ team, where she was the only girl on the roster and at first, never got passed the ball. “You just fight through it,” she said. “I have to be proud to be a girl. I loved being the best one on the boys’ team.”
And Nyara credits Satou for helping inspire her love of the game. “At first, I did not enjoy going to practice, but because my older sister went, I kept going until I eventually started loving it,” she explained. Soon enough, Satou and Nyara were playing for Germany’s national women’s basketball teams, and they both went on to play for the University of Oregon.
However, during their time as Ducks, they never actually got to compete together on the court because Nyara missed two whole seasons due to injuries. But she never gave up. “I’m really proud of [Nyara] for how she’s handled this situation because it is really tough,” Satou shared at the time. “I’m definitely playing for her this season.”
Satou would lead Oregon to their third straight Pac-12 title, and announced that she’d be entering the WNBA draft. On April 17, 2020, the sisters sat together as the Dallas Wings announced their second overall pick: Satou Sabally. “Nyara is so excited for me,” Satou said on draft night. “She was just smiling all day long helping with everything, and she’s really one of the best sisters in the world.” Just two years later, Nyara would be the fifth overall pick in the WNBA draft, but she’d miss her entire rookie season on the New York Liberty after suffering a devastating knee injury.
And yet again, despite heartbreaking setbacks, Nyara never gave up hope, and worked harder than ever during her recovery. Another injury – this time, her back – would keep her sidelined for the first half of the 2024 season. But still, she never gave up. And when the Liberty faced off against the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA finals, Nyara’s resilience was on full display. During the third quarter, she scored seven consecutive points to give the Liberty their first lead of the game. Ultimately, the teams went into overtime, when Nyara’s crucial steal and layup extended the Liberty’s lead to five points. With 13 seconds left in OT, her offensive rebound helped seal the victory, leading New York to their first championship in franchise history.
“My sister is my biggest supporter and I’m her biggest supporter,” Satou told Just Women’s Sports. “Last year, during the championship, I was at every single one of her games and I really embraced that sister role. I wanted her to win.” Whether the Liberty or Mercury win tonight, both of them are winners – on and off the court.
