NEW YORK – Las Vegas Aces All-Star Center Liz Cambage is expected to miss out on the next WNBA season for health reasons, according to his agent.
“In assessing Liz Cambage’s health and pre-existing risk factors with her team doctor, we believe she is at high risk for serious illness if she contracts COVID-19 to participate in this WNBA season,” said the agent. from Cambage, Allison Galer. The Associated Press on Saturday night. “We are awaiting the league’s determination based on an independent medical panel.”
Galer declined to explain what the pre-existing conditions were, citing Cambage’s privacy.
The 6-foot-8-inch Australian case is one of the few before the league’s independent panel of doctors that people familiar with the situation told the AP. People spoke on condition of anonymity because neither the players nor the league have publicly identified them, with the exception of Cambage.
The panel of doctors decides whether a player would be medically excused and receive full salary for the upcoming season, which is slated to begin later in the month in Florida at the IMG Academy. Players can choose not to participate and skip the season if the panel does not grant them a medical exemption. They will not be paid.
The teams are expected to head to Florida on Monday to begin quarantine before training camp opens.
“We planned 2020 to be a great year for Liz and she was excited to play with the Las Vegas Aces and compete for a championship,” said Galer.
So far, about a dozen WNBA players have decided not to play this year due to a variety of reasons, including health and social defense.
Cambage averaged 15.9 points and 8.2 rebounds last season for the Aces, his first with the team. The 28-year-old star has played four years in the league after being drafted second in 2011 by Tulsa Shock. They traded her from Dallas to Las Vegas before last season. She had re-signed with the Aces in April.
“Liz is a generational talent and we are going to miss her this season on the court and in the locker room,” said Aces general manager Dan Padover. “She has been incredibly active this offseason in the community raising money to support first responders who fought the wildfires in Australia, continued to illuminate mental health awareness, and remained at the forefront of peaceful protests in her country in social struggle and racial inequality, and I have no doubt that it will continue to do so this summer.
“Although Liz will not be with us in Florida, she has our full support and will continue to be part of the Aces family and the city of Las Vegas for many years to come.”
She would be the second Las Vegas starter to be missed next season. Guard Kelsey Plum ripped his left Achilles tendon last month.
The Aces signed veteran center Avery Warley-Talbert on Saturday. She played for Aces coach Bill Laimbeer when he was in charge of New York Liberty a few years ago.
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