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On Friday, Rae Burrell sustained a knee injury that led to her early exit from the LA Sparks' season opener. Shortly after Burrell was ruled out of the Sparks' matchup against the Golden State Valkyries, a WNBA insider gave an update on her recovery timeline.
ESPN's Kendra Andrews went on X to let the world know about the projected number of weeks that Burrell — who is in her fourth season with the Sparks — is set to miss:
"Rae Burrell will be out 6-8 weeks with a right leg injury, the Sparks announce. She injured it in the second quarter of last night’s game at Golden State" Andrews tweeted.
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With 3:05 left in the first quarter, Burrell closed out on Valkyries guard Carla Leite, who was shooting a corner three. The legs of the two players collided, causing Burrell to fall to the ground in a crumpled heap. She immediately clutched her knee as she writhed in pain.
Even with Burrell's injury weighing on the back of their heads, the Sparks maintained their composure and pulled off the 84-67 victory over the Valkyries. Kelsey Plum, who was acquired by the Sparks in a blockbuster deal during the offseason, had 37 points and six assists.
Dearica Hamby logged a double-double performance with 14 points and 10 rebounds while Rickea Jackson chipped in 13 points on 3-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc. The Sparks, who shot 46.0% from the field, held the debuting Valkyries to a subpar 36.5% shooting clip.
For Burrell, however, the celebratory vibes of the season's first win is mixed with trepidation as she faces a lengthy recovery period.
Rae Burrell sends message to well wishers on social media after suffering knee injury
After Burrell sustained her knee injury, fans took to social media to send their well wishes. Following the Sparks' victory over the Valkyries, the 6-foot-2 wing responded to all the positive messages on X:
"Thank you for all the love and prayers," Burrell tweeted.
Burrell joins Cameron Brink, who is still recovering from her torn ACL last season, on the injury list. Sparks fans are hoping that both young stars will get back on the hardcourt soon.
