SB Nation is introducing every of the 12 members of the US Olympic Girls’s Basketball workforce this week. Right here’s what you want to learn about Sabrina Ionescu, one of many WNBA’s high three-point shooters and the mastermind behind some of the fashionable sneakers the sport.
Quick Details
Workforce: New York Liberty (21-4)
Common Season Stats: 19.4 factors (42.2%), 6.2 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1 steal
Place: Guard
Draft Class: 2020, Decide #1
All-Star Picks: 3 (2022, 2023, 2024)
Earlier Olympic Appearances: N/A
Faculty: College of Oregon
She’s the all-time triple-double chief in Division I basketball
In her four-year faculty profession at Oregon, Sabrina Ionescu recorded 26 triple-doubles, probably the most all-time for each women and men. Going into her senior season, Oregon was one of many favorites to win the nationwide championship, however as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA match was canceled. Nonetheless, Ionescu loved an illustrious profession — she was the first participant in NCAA historical past to succeed in 2,000 factors, 1,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists, in the end racking up 2,562 factors, 1,040 rebounds and 1,091 assists.
Per week earlier than he handed away in a tragic helicopter accident, Kobe Bryant praised Sabrina Ionescu for the way in which she approached the sport in an interview with the College of Oregon.
“She simply reads the sport,” Bryant stated. “She’s not going to provide you all these fancy dribbles that you just don’t want. She understands angles, she understands defensive rotations, she understands the place the following cross will come earlier than that cross has even been made accessible. It was refreshing to see any individual play with such a excessive basketball IQ.”
She holds an NBA and a WNBA three-point contest document
Final 12 months, Ionescu made historical past by scoring 37 factors within the Starry 3-Level Contest — she shot 23/25 from the sector, and a couple of/2 on further balls. That marked the best level complete by any WNBA or NBA participant at an All-Star Weekend, and her efficiency grew to become a viral sensation.
On account of that record-breaking efficiency, Ionescu opted to take part in a three-point contest in opposition to Steph Curry, which grew to become a flagship occasion at NBA All-Star weekend, hailed as Steph vs Sabrina. She in the end fell to Curry, scoring 26 factors to his 29.
“Me and Sabrina talked about how cool of a possibility it’s to do one thing that’s by no means been carried out earlier than in our recreation,” Curry stated after the sport. “And for her to have a presence on this stage goes to do so much to encourage the following technology of younger girls and boys that need to compete and see themselves in both of us. Wherever it goes from there, we all know we are able to sort of plant our flag as doing one thing actually particular.”
Her Sabrina 1 sneakers have been extensively praised by gamers
Ionescu is one in every of only a handful of WNBA gamers with their very own signature shoe, and the shoe has boomed in recognition. Greater than 100 NBA gamers have sported the Sabrina 1s this 12 months, together with stars like Jrue Vacation, Jalen Brunson, and Tyrese Haliburton. Amongst NBA gamers, her sneakers have been worn for 18,425 on-court minutes (roughly 383 video games), ranked fourth in recognition with 955 appearances, per Sportscasting.
In February, Ionescu thanked the Maverick’s Dereck Full of life for sporting her sneakers, prompting the rookie to reply: “Thanks for making them that comfy.”
She’s within the midst of a profession season
Expectations have been sky-high for Sabrina Ionescu when she first entered the league in 2020. She missed most of that first 12 months with harm, and struggled in her first full season in 2021.
However, 2023 marked a profession taking pictures 12 months for Ionescu, who shot 44.8% from three and made probably the most three-pointers by any WNBA participant in a single season.
This 12 months, Ionescu’s three-point taking pictures has declined — she’s shot 34.8% from three — however she’s nonetheless averaged a career-high 19.4 factors per recreation. Largely because of Her all-around play, the Liberty have the league’s greatest document at 21-4.
“I’ve my three-point shot however to proceed to assist the workforce to have the ability to simply manipulate defenses and get into the paint which permits the additional cross, defenses to break down,” she stated after a recreation in Could. “My capability to go up, get fouled and understanding that typically the three level pictures [are] not going to go in and typically defenses are going to protect it very well.”
Most not too long ago, Ionescu was named Japanese Convention Participant of the Month for July.
