Liberty Lose Nyara Sabally to Tempo in WNBA Expansion Draft

Toronto Tempo also acquire rights to French center Adja Kane in expansion draft

Apr. 3, 2026 at 9:14pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented WNBA basketball game, with sharp planes of navy blue, orange, and white overlapping to create a dynamic, multi-perspective scene.The Liberty's loss of key players in the WNBA expansion draft exposes the challenges teams face in protecting their rosters.NYC Today

The New York Liberty lost two players, including center Nyara Sabally, in the WNBA expansion draft for the new Toronto Tempo franchise. Sabally, a 2022 first-round draft pick, was reunited with former Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, who was named the Tempo's inaugural head coach. The Liberty also lost the rights to French center Adja Kane, whom they had drafted in 2025.

Why it matters

The Liberty's loss of Sabally and Kane is a significant blow, as the team was hoping Sabally would take on an expanded role in 2026 after a injury-plagued 2025 season. Sabally's departure also reunites her with former Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, who was fired after the 2025 season. The expansion draft rules forced the Liberty to make tough decisions on which players to protect.

The details

Per the expansion draft rules, WNBA teams could only protect 5 players, one fewer than the previous expansion draft for the Golden State Valkyries. The Liberty opted not to protect Sabally and Kane, allowing the Tempo to select them with their second and fourth overall picks. Sabally, a 6-foot-5 center, appeared in 76 games over 3 seasons with the Liberty but was limited to just 17 games in 2025 due to lingering knee issues. Kane, a French center, was drafted by the Liberty in 2025 but has yet to make her WNBA debut, spending last season playing in France.

  • The WNBA expansion draft for the new Toronto Tempo franchise took place on April 3, 2026.
  • Nyara Sabally was selected by the Tempo with the 4th overall pick in the expansion draft.
  • The Liberty drafted Adja Kane with the 38th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

The players

Nyara Sabally

A 6-foot-5 center who was drafted 5th overall by the Liberty in 2022 and played 3 seasons with the team, but was limited to just 17 games in 2025 due to lingering knee issues.

Adja Kane

A French center who was drafted by the Liberty in the 2nd round (38th overall) in 2025, but has yet to make her WNBA debut, spending the 2025 season playing in France.

Sandy Brondello

The inaugural head coach of the Toronto Tempo, who was previously the head coach of the New York Liberty before being fired after the 2025 season.

Jonathan Kolb

The general manager of the New York Liberty.

Kelsey Mitchell

A player for the Indiana Fever who was mentioned in the article.

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What they’re saying

“From the moment she arrived in 2022, Nyara brought professionalism, humility and a true team-first mindset, quickly becoming a valued part of our locker room and Liberty family. We are grateful for everything she gave to this team and excited to see her step into an expanded role in the next chapter of her career with Toronto.”

— Jonathan Kolb, General Manager, New York Liberty

What’s next

The Liberty will need to find ways to replace the production and potential of Nyara Sabally and Adja Kane on their roster for the 2026 WNBA season.

The takeaway

The Liberty's loss of Nyara Sabally and Adja Kane in the expansion draft highlights the difficult decisions teams face when trying to protect their rosters. The departure of Sabally, a former first-round pick, is especially impactful as the team had hoped she would take on a larger role after an injury-plagued 2025 season.