Nyara Sabally couldn't contain her excitement, knowing she represented Germany in the Olympics as part of the women's basketball team, in what could be the beginning of a sustained run of success for the country.
Speaking exclusively to Mirror U.S. Sports before the New York Liberty's 103-68 win over the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena, the rising star shared what was going through her mind as she competed for her country. In particular, the 24-year-old said being in Paris among the best athletes in the world as almost indescribable.
"It's a surreal experience to be able to go through that with my teammates and also be able to share it with some of my teammates here," Sabally explained. "It really was amazing - I can't even put it into words."
In particular, the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games served as a moment of realization for Sabally, believing only when she was on a boat as it waded on the Seine River she fully understood that she was an Olympian. "That probably was one of the moments where I was like, 'Wow, OK, we're really here,'" she continued. The German forward also claimed the downpour added "a little flare" to the proceedings.
Despite being starstruck she was one of 12 players sent to represent her country - along with her older sister Satou - the younger Sabally admitted she didn't have any nerves, even though it was the first time the German women's basketball team qualified for the Summer Olympics. Instead, the team took their underdog status in stride, appreciating every moment they had together while playing against the best basketball nations in the world.
"We didn't have too much [stress] because we were really there for the first time," the Liberty forward proclaimed. "It was the first time in German basketball history that us women, we qualified. So it really was just that level of gratefulness we had.
"It wasn't too much pressure. Obviously, the more we advanced, the pressure became kind of higher. But I really didn't focus too much on that. I just focused on being able to even be here and being grateful for that." And Sabally's gratitude was shown by her on-court play.
Though she only played in two of Germany's games, she certainly made her mark when she was on the floor. Before leaving Germany's historic 83-69 win over Belgium with an injury, Sabally was tied with Liberty teammate Leonie Fiebich as the team's second-leading scorer (16). Satou led the way with 17 points as Germany celebrated its first Olympic win.
For Satou , being able to play with Nyara, especially in Paris, meant the world to her. The two sisters were both at Oregon at the same time, though Nyara was saddled with injuries, making it impossible for the two to play together. That's why when Satou and Nyara had a chance to play together this summer, the elder Sabally sister cherished the opportunity.
“It means everything, I love to share the court with her,” Satou said before the games began, per Oregon Public Broadcasting . “We have an unspoken bond that we can play off each other. We saw it in February; we were like little kids again as we shared a room on the road."
Although Nyara missed the next two games, Germany qualified for the quarterfinals, setting up a date with host nation France. The Germans fought valiantly, with Nyara putting up 20 points on 3-of-11 shooting from the field, and 14-of-15 from the free-throw line, to go along with her 13 rebounds, and Satou chipping in 10 points and six rebounds of her own.
In the end, France was too strong, winning 84-71 to advance to the semifinals against Belgium. More importantly, the loss signaled the end of the Sabally sisters and Germany's run to a potential medal.
Still, the sting of losing out on a medal didn't deter Nyara from enjoying the opportunity she had been bestowed, calling to mind the advice she had been told before the games: "Just stay in the moment."
"Obviously, that's what everybody tells you," she recalled. "The people around me, my teammates, also were there for the first time. We didn't have any prior Olympians on the squad.
"But from people that have been there before, they just kept telling: Just take everything in and enjoy every single moment. Do as much as you can without wearing yourself out. But go to different events and experience the whole thing about being an Olympian."
With Germany failing to medal in Paris, the country's eyes now turn to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. After getting a taste of what means to be an Olympian and to represent her country on the biggest stage, Nyara is determined to help Germany qualify and to potentially establish a European powerhouse, as it hosts the women's basketball World Cup in 2026.
"It definitely is a goal. We're going to do everything in our power to get Germany to qualify again, obviously so we can stand in another Olympics. That's always been the goal. And we don't want to take anything for granted, but we definitely want to be here in 2028," Nyara concluded.
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