Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu to return from neck injury vs. Valkyries

SAN FRANCISCO – Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu’s WNBA homecoming is officially on.

Ionescu confirmed at shootaround that she’ll play Wednesday night’s game against the Valkyries at Chase Center. 

Ionescu, a Bay Area native, was listed as questionable due to neck tightness that sidelined her for Sunday’s 89-79 loss in Seattle. But she said Wednesday her neck is feeling better, and she was looking forward to playing in front of her friends and family.

Ionescu is from Walnut Creek, which is about 25 miles from Chase Center. She grew up going to Warriors games and idolized Stephen Curry. 

Since the team moved from Oakland to San Francisco before the 2019-20 season, Ionescu has been to Chase Center many times as a fan.

But Wednesday was the first time she was there to play.

“It’s a little different of being able to take the court and get shots up, understanding I get to come back to the Bay Area and play a game, which is really exciting especially in front of my friends and family and just excited,” Ionescu said. “I don’t know what tonight’s gonna look like, but I just know I’m hopefully gonna get a warm welcome home and just kind of take it all in.” 

Ionescu may have plenty of connections to the Bay Area, but she told The Post that she has no plans to play anywhere but New York.

“I’m where my feet are at,” Ionescu said. “I’m a part of a great organization here that drafted me and for me, obviously, it’s where I want to be for the rest of my career.” 

Wednesday will mark her first time playing in the Bay since college. 

Ionescu is bidding for her fourth All-Star nod this season, and is averaging a career-high 20.3 points per game. She’s also posted 5.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals.