SATOU SABALLY STOOD on the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, listening to the sideline reporter’s first question of their postgame interview, when she was ambushed. She had just recorded a career-high 40 points — hitting 7 of 10 3-pointers — to help the Dallas Wings secure a postseason berth. Teammates Arike Ogunbowale, Odyssey Sims and Veronica Burton snuck up from behind and emptied water bottles over her, screaming in celebration.
Sabally tried to escape, holding up her braids to prevent them from getting wet. The floor was slick with water, but she couldn’t help herself. Sabally started to moonwalk, garnering oohs from teammates. It was her first game back after missing the previous two with an ankle injury, and she had extra juice that night.
“Once you’re out for a week,” Sabally said in the interview, “you just want to play ball again.” As for the moonwalk? “I felt like I just had to hit it.”
The performance, even the display of joy, wasn’t a given a year or two ago, though…
