Satou Sabally is primed for a lucrative free agency after career-defining season

The Dallas Wings have extended a restricted qualifying offer to Satou Sabally, making her a restricted free agent once free agency begins January 21st.

For a player to become a restricted free agent, the team needs to extend a restricted qualifying offer. By extending the offer to Satou Sabally, the Dallas Wings retain the right to match contracts offered to their player.

Satou Sabally untapped her potential during the 2023 WNBA season as she is primed for her first experience as a free agent in the WNBA. The career-defining season positioned Sabally into superstardom in the WNBA. A tier she always had the potential to be in as injuries have held her young career back.

“I worked hard, like really, really hard in the offseason… Once you put the work in, you can trust your abilities. I’m the still the 2nd pick, I know I can play basketball.” Satou Sabally on her success during the season.

Dubbed as ‘the unicorn’ for a reason as her game defines versatility and her skills are rare for her size. Sabally can make threes beyond the arc when defenders give her space, take bigger defenders off the dribble with the finishing ability inside the paint and post-game when smaller defenders are assigned to her. Sabally has the arsenal of skills to score in a from all three levels of the court in three-point shots, midrange and in the paint. She ranked ninth in the league for scoring and recorded 20+ points in 16 games.

Playmaking is an underrated aspect of Sabally’s game. She has the ability to set up plays and the versatility to be the playmaker and screener in pick-and-roll situations. Sabally has IQ to break down defenses while possessing the height and passing ability to find open teammates. The passing skills allow her to counter double teams when defenses adjust to her profilic scoring.

Sabally was one of the best rebounders in the WNBA as she ranked 10th in the league as a small forward. She has great positional awareness and the willingness to grab rebounds through her physicality. Sabally ranked 10th in the league for rebounds while having Natasha Howard and Teaira McCowan as teammates as well, two players who are in the top 12 for rebounds in the WNBA. Sabally finished the season with 14 double-doubles, which was the fifth-most in the league. She recorded 10+ rebounds in 14 games this past season.

The 6’4” forward also ranked fourth in steals as she showcased improvements defensively and physically, coming off an EuroLeague championship and looked to be in the best shape of her life. She has active hands and has the IQ and preparation for opposing player’s tendencies. Sabally recorded 2+ steals in 22 games this past season.

Sabally was one of five players in the WNBA to average 18+ points and 8+ rebounds in 2023 (B. Stewart, A. Wilson, N. Collier & N. Ogwumike). The 6’4” forward was one of nine players to record 40 or more points in a game and recorded her first career triple-double against Washington Mystics.

Sabally was projected to be the sixth player on the Dallas Wings as she came off the bench during preseason before Diamond DeShields got injured. Sabally rose to the occasion and didn’t look back as she became an All-Star starter and had a career high in games played, points, FG%, 3PT%, rebounds, assists, steals, double-doubles. She also earned Most Improved Player and All-WNBA First Team honors.

Sabally played in 38 games and averaged 18.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals.

She shot 43.5% from the floor, 36.1% beyond the arc and 87.4% from the free throw line.

The Wings finished with the 4th seed, recorded the most wins and highest attendance since moving to Arlington and reached the semifinals before ultimately getting defeated by the eventual WNBA champions, Las Vegas Aces.

The team must prepare themselves to match any contract that Sabally agrees to sign. She is just starting her prime as she will be 26 when the new season begins. Sabally has all the tools to be the Wings franchise player and shown she can play alongside Arike Ogunbowale. She showed the front office that she can be dependable by playing 38 games and perform at a high level.

The value to the Wings holds weight for Sabally as it is at an all-time high because she isn’t limited to her play. Her marketability, leadership, engaging personality, age and do-it-all mindset to win games embodies the requirements you look for in a cornerstone of an organization.

Sabally's career-defining season set the stage for a lucrative contract in free agency and she deserves it.