Magbegor suffers facial fracture as World Cup looms

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Australian Opals centre Ezi Magbegor’s 2026 FIBA World Cup preparation has been dealt another – literal – blow.

Magbegor, 26, suffered a facial fracture fighting for a rebound in Seattle’s 89-78 loss to Opals’ teammate Isobel Borlase’s Atlanta Dream last week. She was playing just her fifth game back after sitting out the first 20 games of the WNBA season because of a foot injury.

The Australian Opals play their first game of the World Cup against Puerto Rico on September 4 – 48 days from now.

Magbegor copped an accidental elbow in the face from Dream centre Madina Okot in the second quarter. She’d played eight minutes, still on a minutes restriction.

"Ezi got hit in the face. We don't have an update now, but we're evaluating her," Storm head coach Sonia Raman said in the post-game press conference.

Magbegor was one of 10 players on 10 different teams to receive the WNBA’s maximum salary, signing a three-year contract with the Seattle Storm worth USD $3.75 million (approximately AUD $5.2 million) ahead of the 2026 season.

But it’s been a season of frustration for the Melbourne-born 1.93m Olympic Games bronze medallist (2024). She injured her right foot while playing for Australia at the 2026 FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament in Turkey in March.

“I think I just realised how much I missed playing,” Magbegor said after her first game back against Sami Whitcomb’s Phoenix Mercury on July 3, 2026 (AEDT).

“I think we've done such a great job of just building what we have with this team, so it was just nice to be on the floor and be healthy again, obviously.”

The Storm, riddled with injuries, are 6-20 in 2026, and Raman was optimistic about Magbegor, French star Dominique Malonga and Opals point guard Jade Melbourne finally getting an opportunity to play together.

"I think it's been so few games, so it's just a matter of kind of the same way that we started the season, where we didn't really have anybody that was used to playing with each other,” Raman added.

“Maybe Jade and (Stefanie Dolson) coming from Washington together and Jade and Ezi maybe from Australia, but it took a while for that group to find some chemistry, get the cohesion, be connected.

“I would expect the same thing. Ezi’s new to this group now in terms of this group, obviously not new to the Storm, but there's a lot of people on the floor that she hasn't played with much or at all.

“I think it's just a matter of the chemistry, the reps and just getting connected.

“But in terms of her skill set, she's a seamless fit.

“It's more just knowing: is someone going to sneak, are they going to roll, what are all the different things you can do in different actions, and just getting on the same page."

For both Raman and Magbegor, it’s back to a wait game – along with Australian Opals head coach Sandy Brondello.

No timetable for Magbegor’s return has been given.