Liberty Designate Sabrina Ionescu as Core Player

The move keeps the star guard in Brooklyn as the team defends its 2024 WNBA title.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 11:07am

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The New York Liberty have designated star guard Sabrina Ionescu as a core player, taking one of the WNBA's biggest free agents off the open market. With the core designation, the Liberty now have exclusive negotiating rights with Ionescu and can offer her a supermax contract worth $1.4 million. The Liberty also extended qualifying offers to guards Marine Johannès and Rebekah Gardner, initiating the process for their anticipated returns to Brooklyn this season.

Why it matters

Ionescu has been a cornerstone of the Liberty since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2020, helping the team reach the WNBA Finals in two of the past three seasons and capturing the franchise's first championship in 2024. Retaining Ionescu's services is crucial as the Liberty look to defend their title with the same starting lineup that delivered the long-awaited title.

The details

The Liberty's core designation means they now have exclusive negotiating rights with Ionescu and can offer her a supermax contract worth $1.4 million. Ionescu has said since the end of last season that she plans to re-sign with New York, and she reiterated that commitment last week at USA Basketball training camp. In addition to Ionescu, the Liberty also extended qualifying offers to guards Marine Johannès and Rebekah Gardner, keeping those key reserves in the fold as free agency opens.

  • The Liberty designated Sabrina Ionescu as a core player on April 7, 2026.
  • The WNBA's official free agency negotiation period opens on April 9, 2026.

The players

Sabrina Ionescu

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, Ionescu has spent her entire career with the Liberty and has been named an All-Star in each of the past four seasons. She helped the Liberty reach the WNBA Finals in two of the past three seasons, including winning the franchise's first championship in 2024.

Marine Johannès

A reserve guard for the Liberty, Johannès has become a fan favorite for her timely 3-point shooting and playmaking ability off the bench. She is expected to play a key role in the Liberty's offense under new head coach Chris DeMarco.

Rebekah Gardner

A 36-year-old guard, Gardner enjoyed a strong season with Athletes Unlimited and is looking to carve out a more consistent role with the Liberty this year after dealing with injuries in recent seasons. She is known for her strong defense and athletic slashing ability.

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What’s next

The Liberty and Ionescu can now negotiate a new contract, with the supermax worth $1.4 million on the table. The team's other free agents, Johannès and Gardner, will also look to finalize deals with the Liberty as the official signing period opens on April 12, 2026.

The takeaway

Retaining Sabrina Ionescu, the face of the franchise, was a critical move for the Liberty as they look to defend their 2024 WNBA championship. With the core designation, the team can now focus on keeping the rest of their key contributors in place for another title run.