2 players the Liberty is in danger of losing in the WNBA Expansion Draft

This offseason for the WNBA is set to be drama-filled. Due to the newest team, the Golden State Valkyries joining the league there will be a WNBA Expansion Draft for them to choose its newest players.

Teams can protect six of their 12 players from being selected for the expansion draft. Teams' roster lists are from the end of the 2024 season, which means any player on an active roster is eligible to be protected — including unrestricted free agents.

Taking a look at the New York Liberty, they are coming off appearing in back-to-back Finals and yet they fell in 2023 to the Las Vegas Aces, they won it all on Sunday to claim the franchise's first-ever title. New York has key players that they likely will protect, such as Sabrina Ionescu, Finals MVP Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, and, of course, Breanna Stewart. But some of the names that they might not protect are some of the younger players who made an impact on this year's championship team.

The Liberty have shown in the past that they are no longer trying to build up young players like they did with Ionescu and Laney-Hamilton years ago, but they want to win and dominate now. So, it is likely that the young bench in New York will be up for grabs.

2. Nyara Sabally

Nyara Sabally can potentially be exposed in the expansion draft. The fifth overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft still has high potential but has dealt with injuries since her rookie season.

Her standout performance in Game 5 coming off the bench was the unspoken hero that led New York to a win. She came off the bench for 17 minutes and helped the Liberty clinch the title with 13 points and seven rebounds. Sabally's clutch performance off the bench turned heads around the league, showing that she is still a valuable prospect for the future. Her athleticism, size, and skill set came to show in Game 5, and if the Liberty prioritize protecting their more established core, Sabally could be a risk for them to leave unprotected.

Her upside and potential to develop into a key player would make her an attractive option for an expansion team looking to build for the future.

1. Leonie Fiebich

The rookie, Leonie Fiebich, thrived in her debut WNBA season. But the Liberty have guard standouts in Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot. So, it may leave the rookie available when the expansion draft comes around.

Fiebich is a 3-point specialist and last season; she had the third-best 3-point percentage among players with at least 100 attempts. She continued that in the playoffs, averaging 55.9% from beyond the arc. Also, she made clutch shots in big moments, like when she hit a game-winning 3-pointer in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals against the Lynx.

If Fiebich is up for grabs, it would be no surprise if teams are extremely interested in the rookie because she has shown she is the real deal in just one season with the best team in the league.