WNBA opens Friday and the league looks like an MRI list

The W tips Friday and there's an injury report instead of a hype reel. Sabrina Ionescu sprained her ankle in a preseason loss to Connecticut on Sunday. The MRI didn't show structural damage, but she'll miss at least two weeks — the first four games of the Liberty's title defense, minimum. New York opens Friday night against the Sun without their All-Star guard.

It gets worse for Seattle. Ezi Magbegor — a four-time All-Defensive pick and the Storm's top returning scorer at 8 / 6.2 / 2.2 blocks — is out six to eight weeks with a right foot injury suffered playing for Australia in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in March. The Storm already lost their top five scorers in free agency. Now they lose their defensive anchor for the first month of the season.

And Golden State's Kate Martin — the Iowa alum who became a Valkyries fan favorite — has a Grade 2 right quad strain. Average recovery for that injury is four to six weeks. The Valkyries open May 8. Best case: Martin returns for the home opener May 10 against Phoenix. Realistic case: Golden State plays a chunk of May without her.