A WNBA star tried to play in the World Cup after a brutal injury, only to learn later that she had 2 broken ribs and a collapsed lung

• The New York Liberty's Rebecca Allen competed for Australia's Opals during the 2022 FIBA World Cup.
• The 6-foot-2 guard suffered a painful-looking injury in the preliminary round against Serbia.

Onlookers were stunned when Opals guard Rebecca Allen checked into the Australian national team's blockbuster World Cup semifinal matchup against China.

Just five days earlier, the New York Liberty star suffered a huge blow during the final quarter of Australia's incredibly physical preliminary round game against Serbia. Already competing on an ailing ankle, Allen dove for a loose ball and found herself sandwiched between two of her opponents and the hardwood.

The Opals' leading scorer looked to be in immense pain from an apparent upper-body injury. She needed help exiting the floor and eventually was escorted out of the arena in a wheelchair.

After Allen was evaluated at a local hospital, the Opals announced that their medical team determined she had "no apparent structural damage." But hours prior, Australian head coach Sandy Brondello — who doubles as Allen's head coach with the Liberty — expressed concern for her star after she "got crushed."

"She doesn't have a lot of beef on her," Brondello said. "She's not walking perfectly so we'll just have to wait for the doctor."

"It will be really unfortunate if she doesn't [return]," she added. "She's played really well for us and she's a key member of our team."

Though she took three games off to recuperate, Allen found her way back to the court for the aforementioned knockout round game against China. She played nearly 14 minutes in the hometown Opals' heartbreaking two-point loss, pulling down four rebounds and dishing out an assist in that span.

Though she stuck around for all four quarters of the contest, Allen was clearly struggling throughout. Unsurprisingly, she was playing at only a fraction of the level she displayed earlier in the tournament, when she averaged a team-leading 13.3 points per game.

She didn't return for the Opals' bronze-medal blowout against Canada the next day, and now, fans have a much better understanding of why.

The Australian national team revealed Wednesday that Allen's injuries were far more significant than initially thought. According to the Opals' release, the star suffered two broken ribs as well as a partially collapsed lung — all thanks to the knock she took in the Serbia game.

"I think everyone who witnessed the impact of that collision saw how much pain I was in," Allen said. "Further scans have indicated that the injuries were more substantial than first diagnosed. Based on the initial diagnosis, I attempted to play in the Semi Final against China but the injuries prevented me from continuing."

Allen is rehabbing in Melbourne, and doctors suggest her recovery could take between four and six weeks to heal. She'll report to her European club, Spain's Valencia Basket, when she's ready to suit up again.

And judging by her four-rebound, one-assist effort while down two ribs and half a lung against China, she'll be eager to return to the court as soon as remotely possible.