Liberty’s Courtney Vandersloot on concussion transcript; Jonquel Jones is restricted due to a foot strain injury

Two of the New York Liberty’s superstars are struggling with injuries in training camp. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

The New York Liberty became one of the most exciting teams in the WNBA during the offseason. But with training camp underway, two of the team’s superstars, Courtney Vandersloot and Jonquel Jones, are not being stretched to full capacity.

Training camps opened across the league on Sunday. According to Winsidr’s Myles Ehrlich, Vandersloot’s lip was reportedly cut open by a punch to the face during a live-action practice session on Monday. The Liberty Vandersloot has reportedly closed for the day as a precaution. On Tuesday, the team announced the security guard was placed on record with a concussion.

Vandersloot’s injury on the pitch wasn’t the only news to be heard on day two of the Liberty’s training camp. On Monday, 2021, MVP Jonquel Jones told The Athletic’s Ben Pickman that she suffered “like a stress reaction” in her left foot while playing for the Connecticut Sun during the Finals last year.

“Right now I’m still limited to that … but every day I’m building on that and adding more time,” she said.

Jones, a four-time WNBA All-Star, was traded from the Sun to the New York Liberty in a three-team trade with the Dallas Wings. The team quickly garnered superteam hype when they signed two-time WNBA champion Breanna Stewart and Vandersloot to a team that already included Sabrina Ionescu.

Vandersloot’s injury seems minor while Jones sounds manageable. You can see Jones training in this video from day one of the Liberty’s training camp:

It seems the Liberty are handling both situations as cautiously as possible given the team’s experience of being hampered by injuries. New York didn’t play a single preseason game last year because the team didn’t have enough healthy players.

This year, the team is set to face off against another super team in the preseason: the Las Vegas Aces.

Amid the Liberty’s off-season improvements, defending champions Aces added Candace Parker and Alysha Clark to their impressive returnees in A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young.

The contenders’ matchup is scheduled for May 13 at Michelob Ultra Arena, one of two preseason games for New York.

The Liberty will also face the sun on May 10 and open their regular season on May 19 against the Washington Mystics.