Former Oregon star Nyara Sabally to serve as assistant coach while rehabbing from injury
While Nyara Sabally rehabs for her return to the court, she’s found a new day job.
The former Oregon standout and fifth overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft has joined the Sacramento State coaching staff as an assistant, the Hornets program announced on Tuesday. According to The Register-Guard’s Antwan Staley, Sabally is expected to join the New York Liberty next season after a knee injury sidelined her for the entire 2022 season.
🙌🏽 very exited https://t.co/do2glL9QEl
— nyara (@nyarasabally) July 12, 2022
“We are thrilled to add Nyara to our program,” head coach Mark Campbell said in a release. “She is like family to our entire coaching staff and will have a major impact working with our current players. She has had unique experiences of competing at the highest level of college and international basketball. Nyara is a humble servant leader. She will work with our post players and help coach (Xavi) Lopez spearhead our international recruiting.”
Sabally is reuniting with Campbell and Lopez, both of whom coached her at Oregon. Sabally was also teammates with fellow Hornet assistant coach Minyon Moore during the 2019-20 season.
“I am very grateful for this amazing opportunity to join the Sacramento State coaching staff,” Sabally said. “I look forward to working alongside great coaches and mentors that I have looked up to the past few years. I can’t wait to get on campus and get to work.”
The 6-foot-5 forward led the Ducks in scoring at over 15 points a game last season. She also led the team in rebounding (7.8 boards), led the team in blocks (1.4), led the team in free throw attempts, finished behind only Maddie Scherr for the team lead in steals (1.4), and finished with the third-highest shooting clip.
A two-time All-Pac-12 selection in 2021 and 2022, Sabally was selected by the Liberty last April. Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb told reports at the time they knew Sabally would require some time before she could hit the court.
“We knew heading into the selection for Nyara that there was a very strong chance that she would not play this year because of her current health condition,” Kolb said. “We knew that in selecting her and that will be the case. We’re going to have her rights going forward and we’re going to work with Nyara and her representatives and doctors to make sure that she is ready to roll for ’23.”
In the meantime, she’ll get a unique perspective from the sideline that should only help as she readies to begin her pro career.