During the WNBA offseason, many players ahead overseas to continue playing. Due to the salary limitations of the WNBA, players are able to make a livable income during the fall and winter months. When playing overseas though, players run the heightened risk of injury and thus being unavailable for when the WNBA season begins in early spring. Such was the case for new New York Liberty forward Kayla Thornton. Thornton suffered an injury while playing for the Southside Flyers this week in Australia. Although it was initially feared that she hurt her Achilles, it apparently wasn’t as serious although the Flyers did make the decision to hold her out of their playoff game this weekend.

Kayla Thornton was traded to the Liberty this offseason in the three team trade that brought Jonquel Jones to the Liberty as well. Thornton is part of a revamped Liberty squad that has major championship aspirations this upcoming season. A seven-year WNBA veteran, Thornton was originally went undrafted in the 2014 draft. She made her WNBA debut with the Washington Mystics during the 2015 season.

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Thornton has spent the last six seasons playing for the Dallas Wings. Last season she averaged 8.0 points per game, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals with shooting splits of 47.1 percent shooting from the field, 32.9 percent shooting from the three-point line and a 82.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The WNBA season begins on May 19 with training camp beginning on April 30. Depending on the nature of Thornton’s injury, it remains to be seen what her status will be for when the season begins.