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Saniya Rivers leaves game in wheelchair after scary ankle injury against Lynx originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Connecticut Sun suffered more than just another loss on Wednesday night.
Second-year guard Saniya Rivers exited the Sun's 86-80 defeat against the Minnesota Lynx after suffering a frightening left ankle injury that required her to be taken off the floor in a wheelchair. The scene immediately silenced the crowd inside Mohegan Sun Arena as teammates and trainers rushed to Rivers' side following an awkward landing.
While the initial diagnosis offered some encouraging news, Rivers' injury quickly became one of the biggest storylines from Wednesday's WNBA action.
Saniya Rivers suffers scary ankle injury
The injury occurred with 7:16 remaining in the second quarter. Rivers attacked the basket looking to finish a layup, but Minnesota forward Nia Coffey met her at the rim with a clean block. As Rivers came down, she landed awkwardly on her left foot, violently rolling her ankle. The force of the landing caused her shoe to come completely off.
Rivers immediately grabbed at her leg while lying on the baseline in obvious pain. Medical personnel rushed onto the floor as teammates gathered around her, holding towels up to provide privacy while she received treatment. After several minutes, trainers brought out a wheelchair, and Rivers was taken to the locker room with a towel covering her head.
The Sun later announced she would not return because of a left ankle sprain.
Sun coach provides initial injury update
After the game, Connecticut head coach Rachid Meziane said Rivers also absorbed contact to her face during the play.
"The ankle will be evaluated tomorrow," Meziane told reporters, offering no additional timeline for the second-year guard's return.
Although Rivers left the arena in a wheelchair, the team's announcement that she suffered a sprained ankle rather than an apparent fracture provided at least some initial optimism.
Further testing on Thursday will determine the severity of the injury.
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Rivers has become an important piece for Connecticut
The No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft out of NC State has continued to carve out a significant role for Connecticut this season. Entering Wednesday's game, Rivers was averaging 6.9 points, 3.2 assists and 23 minutes per game while starting 12 of the Sun's first 21 contests. Her athleticism, defensive versatility and playmaking have made her one of the team's emerging young contributors.
Before leaving the game, Rivers had already filled the stat sheet with five points, one rebound, two assists, two steals and one block. Her departure only compounded an already difficult night for Connecticut.
The Sun were also without Brittney Griner, who missed the game because of a strained left quadriceps, while forward Aneesah Morrow was unavailable for personal reasons. Losing Rivers left Connecticut without three of its top offensive contributors as Minnesota pulled away for the six-point victory.
Sun await further evaluation
Connecticut will now wait for Thursday's evaluation to determine whether Rivers avoided a long-term injury. The visual of the 23-year-old being wheeled off the floor created immediate concern across the WNBA, with fans and players alike sharing well wishes after the game.
While the initial diagnosis of a sprained left ankle is more encouraging than many feared, the Sun won't know the full extent of Rivers' injury until additional testing is completed. For a Connecticut team already battling injuries and searching for consistency, Rivers' status could become one of the biggest storylines to monitor heading into the second half of the WNBA season.
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