The No. 5 overall draft pick of the New York Liberty in the 2022 WNBA Draft, Nyara Sabally, has been added to the Sacramento State coaching staff as an assistant, Head Coach Mark Campbell announced Tuesday.
“We are thrilled to add Nyara to our program,” Campbell said. “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 reunites with her former coaches at the University of Oregon after competing under Campbell and Lopez for three years while with the Ducks from 2018-21. Sabally was also teammates with fellow Hornet assistant coach Minyon Moore during the 2019-20 season when the Ducks were ranked No. 1 in the nation for the majority of the season prior to the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament due to the pandemic.
“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.”
A two-time All-Pac-12 Conference selection in 2021 and 2022, Sabally finished sixth in the league in scoring (15.4 ppg) and third in rebounding (7.8 rpg) during the 2021-22 season. A CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, Sabally became the first Pac-12 player since Stanford’s Chiney Ogwumike in 2012-13 to average at least 15 points, seven rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.3 steals and blocks over the course of a season.
After missing her first two collegiate seasons due to injury, Sabally exploded onto the scene in 2020-21, leading the team in scoring (12.9 ppg), rebounding (7.3 rpg) while helping the Ducks to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Tournament.
Sabally, whose older sister, Satou, was the No. 2 overall pick of the Dallas Wings in the 2020 WNBA Draft, also brings with her an extensive international resume as a member of Germany’s national team system, making her debut with the U16 team at the 2015 FIBA European Championships. She was named the MVP of the 2017 FIBA U18 Div. B European Championship after averaging 17.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, including a 21-point, 18-rebound game against Great Britain in the semifinals.
She also competed at the FIBA U18 Div. A European Championships in 2018, helping lead Germany to the gold medal and was named MVP.
https://www.hornetsports.com/sports/wbkb/2021-22/releases/20220712iyzug0
