BREAKING NEWS: New York Liberty G Asia Durr to miss 2020 WNBA season

The New York Liberty will be missing another guard in Florida, as 2019’s second overall pick has opted out of the upcoming season.

New York Liberty guard Asia Durr has elected to skip the 2020 WNBA season.

Durr, 23, revealed her decision on her social media accounts. In her statement, the Louisville alumna revealed that she tested positive for COVID-19 last month. The diagnosis played a major role in her decision to skip the upcoming season, which will take place in a bubble-like surrounding at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

“After much thought and consultation with my doctors and the Liberty, I have decided not to play the 2020 WNBA season,” Durr’s statement begins. “After testing positive for COVID-19 on June 8, my battle with it has been complicated and arduous. As I continue to fully recover, I had to make the difficult decision on a deadline to opt out as a medical High Risk player. So much about this virus is unknown and my heart is heavy, even as I make the decision that I know is best for my long-term wellness.”

The Liberty chose Durr with the second overall pick of the 2019 WNBA Draft. She had spent this offseason recovering from a groin injury that cost her 16 games of her rookie campaign and had undergone successful surgery in September. Durr averaged 9.7 points over 18 games (15 starts), with her season-best performance being a 20-point showing in a June win over Minnesota.

“Asia worked extremely hard this offseason to put herself in position to take a major leap forward in her second WNBA season,” said Liberty General Manager Jonathan Kolb in a team statement. “While we are disappointed that we will need to wait a bit longer to see her emerge as one of the bright young players in the game, we fully recognize and support the difficult decision she had to make amidst unprecedented circumstances. Brooklyn will be ready for her in 2021.”

Durr is the latest member of the Liberty to opt-out of the Florida endeavor, joining Rebecca Allen. Several others, including Marine Johannes, Stephanie Talbot, and Han Xu opted to remain overseas.

“I want to thank my teammates, the Liberty organization, our fans, and my partners for their compassion,” Durr said. “I plan to stay connected to the team virtually and support them on the court and in their efforts around social justice and activism from the bubble however I can. I hope you will do the same.”

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags