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She played college basketball for the Oregon Ducks. Five bucks to the winner. Earlier in the season, Sabrina watched the video her father took of her young self making that Toastmasters speech about her basketball dreams. Sabrina: His mom came onto the court, and then they both got ejected. I took Washington, Oregon State, Oregon, Cal. Not only were they difficult to guard while growing up, but they also, at times, communicated in fluent Romanian, according to The Oregonian. The WNBA. He just eats, sleeps, loves everything about basketball, which is literally the same thing with her. It's awesome to be part of a team that has accomplished that. That's all I said. She averaged 14.6 points per game to go with 6.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists as she was the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and ESPNWs National Freshman of the Year, according to Oregons team site. I definitely loved working with my left hand. In the postgame interview, she calls out ESPN: "It probably still won't get recognized because ESPN never recognizes women's sports. The WNBA draft order is released in September, and the New York Liberty draw the top pick. Her parents fled Romania during the 1989 revolution and sought political asylum in the U.S., raising Ionescu, her twin brother and older brother in Walnut Creek, California. The couple recently got engaged on January 20, 2023, and Ionescu even shared a photo from their engagement on her Instagram account. But you see your parents just going to work every day, working hard. If we didnt want somebody else knowing what I wanted to do like a pick-and-pop, or watch me in the corner, or drive to the left wed say it to each other in Romanian, Eddy said, according to The Oregonian. I just walked into the locker room and knew we won. On Monday, Sabrina says goodbye to Oregon in an Instagram post: "Although our unfinished business will remain just that, I have been blessed to be a part of this journey." Sabrina: I just remember the first couple practices, always getting the ball stolen from me and not being able to get those passes through just because the level of competition was so high. Kind of like describing Sue [Bird]. It motivates her to go back and practice more from learning from her mistakes. Sabrina Ionescu is a professional basketball player holding American nationality who plays professionally with the (WNBA) which stands for Women's National Basketball Association located in New York Liberty. During her junior year, Ionescu averaged 18.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 4.7 steals per game, and helped Miramonte High School to a 302 record with an appearance in the CIF open division semifinals. I thought it was, like, freshman duties or something. Ionescus stellar play in college led to her becoming the No. One of those struggles comes in the playoffs later that season, in a semifinal game against Saint Mary's. I shot 3-pointers, free throws, everything left-handed. Hroniss Grasu is currently dating his girlfriend Sabrina Ionescu who is most known for having played for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association is the all-time leading scorer in the NCAA and a gold medalist at the FIBA Americas U-16 competition (WNBA). That was the only thing he said, and I was like, "All right." Here, the superstar and the people who know her best reveal the story behind the legend, the fights and flourishes that have come to define the game's most electric player. And then someone told us about a girls club in Orinda [California]. Sabrina Ionescu selected No. Sabrina Ionescu is an American personality who is a professional basketball player and is committed to the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) playing for the New York Liberty. Sabrina dedicated her season -- and everything that comes after -- to her mentor, Kobe Bryant. Edited by Sam Nicodemo and Warren Wolcott. So I just remember, I said, "I'm going to stay." So I didn't post anything. She recalled, "My middle school said I should be playing with dolls. Ionescu was born to Romanian-American parents in Walnut Creek, California. Marc Spears on Blazers guard Damian Lillard, who reps his hometown on and off the court. Ionescu recorded four triple-doubles, one shy of the Pac-12 record and two less than the NCAA record. We drove up here, walked in, surprised [coach] Kelly Graves. Pac-12 Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year, NCAA all-time leader in career triple-doubles, "Nike signs #1 pick Sabrina Ionescu to multiyear endorsement deal", "Sabrina Ionescu joins Oregon Ducks in part-time role", "Sabrina Ionescu - Forbes 30 Under 30 Profile", List of NCAA Division I basketball career triple-doubles leaders, List of NCAA Division I women's basketball career assists leaders, "Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu makes history against Stanford", "Sabrina Ionescu: 4 facts about the Oregon women's basketball scoring, assists leader", "Miramonte alum Sabrina Ionescu returns to Bay Area with Oregon", "Her middle school said to play with dolls. Sabrina Ionescu is the first NCAA player EVER with 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds! And so I had to learn how to use the ball screens and all the frustration that comes with that. The Athletics Shams Charania reported that she is expected to miss approximately one month as she has a Grade 3 left ankle sprain. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. "Not many . In late April 2018, Ionescu and Oregon teammates Erin Boley, Otiona Gildon, and Ruthy Hebard entered the USA Basketball women's national 3x3 championship tournament at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her father's name is Dan Ionescu who fled Communist Romania around the time of the 1989 revolution. Ionescu won almost all the possible National Player of the Year awards, including the John R. Wooden Award, Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year, USBWA National Player of the Year, Naismith College Player of the Year, ESPY for Top Female College Athlete and ESPN.com National Player of the Year. We didn't really talk about the game for a little while. [citation needed], Ionescu was the No. She is now the all-time NCAA triple-double leader for both men and women", "Air Force vs. Oregon Game Summary December 20, 2018 ESPN", "Oregon's Ionescu is espnW's player of the week", "Sabrina Ionescu breaks Oregon assist record in blowout of USC", "The ultimate guide to Oregon senior Sabrina Ionescu", "Sabrina Ionescu powers Oregon to its first Women's Final Four", "Sabrina Ionescu builds her brand as an SOJC master's student", "Ducks' Ionescu eclipses 2,000 points, 800 assists", "Sabrina Ionescu scores career-high 37, breaks program career scoring record to lead No. Whether it was our chores, whether it was our homework, whether it was eating dinner, racing to whoever can get in bed first. Ionescu also shares her knowledge with boys and girls at camps and academies, including Bryant's Mamba Sports Academy. His sister, Sabrina, is a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) professional). Her father, Dan Ionescu, fled communist Romania around the time of the 1989 revolution, seeking political asylum in the United States. Like Ionescu - who used to hustle grown men for Slurpee money alongside her twin brother - Taurasi is deeply, almost scarily competitive. Eddy: I wasn't too jealous of the people she's met until Steph and Kobe. , Read More Demetress Bell Wife Is He Married? We would get hungry, we'd want some money. These are things that kids can acquire; they don't have to be born with those things. Interested shoppers can easily buy them . His vision for me was way bigger than my own. Like regular kids. I just know she doesn't like to lose, and that's, you know, it's her biggest strength, but it's also her biggest weakness. This team is based in Brooklyn and is well-known in the WNBA. Shop ionescu t-shirts created by independent artists from around the globe. Sopak: The biggest challenge she has now is overcoming losing. Heading into her junior season, Sabrina has 10 triple-doubles in her career. Sabrina enrolls at Oregon and for the first time lives apart from Eddy, who stays in the Bay Area and enrolls at City College of San Francisco. She's not the biggest, quickest, fastest, strongest. As a result, she became the youngest player in WNBA history to achieve a triple-double. Ionescu actually has a twin brother named Eddy who also plays basketball. Scoring 26 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds, she became the youngest player in WNBA history to record a triple double. They never took anything for granted, especially starting warm-ups. Photo by Serena Morones . She then joined the City College of San Francisco but later transferred to the University of Oregon. Eddy: We competed in everything. [Laughs] I think she learns a lot from them, which is really cool, and she definitely brings back stuff to share with the team. After the NCAA made the extraordinary decision last week to cancel its tournaments in an effort to slow the coronavirus pandemic, Ionescu lost the opportunity to win the championship that has eluded her and her Oregon Ducks, the one for which she delayed entry to the WNBA to try to claim. Sabrina: We struggled, and I think we didn't handle adversity very well. We were always so competitive, and I think it's 'cause we were the same age. The couple used to study at the same college University of Oregon. Katrina, Read More Katrina Gorry Partner Clara Markstedt Is A Soccer Player Children and Age RevealedContinue, Aaron Nesmith brother name is Eddie Nesmith. You just walk away, you mind your own business. . After an. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. She fell short of another triple-double with 16 points, 12 assists and 9 rebounds in the game but recorded her 2,012 career points and 810 career assists. Sopak: Sabrina didn't start until halfway through her freshman year, and 99 out of 100 parents would have been calling a meeting saying, "My daughter's the best player on the floor. Oregon guard Sabrina Ionescu has made a name for herself as one of the best college basketball players. 2 Duke en route to an improbable Elite Eight matchup against top-seeded UConn. It's crazy to see everything come full circle and see how young I was and the dreams that I had and The Ducks lead by a point after the first half, but strong post play propels the Bears, who hold Ionescu scoreless in the fourth quarter to win 72-67. Shortly after the premature end of her senior season, the university polled fans on social media, asking them to name the four Oregon alumni they would put on a notional Mount Rushmore for the university. And then we kind of just sat down and discussed what her next plan was. Sabrina Ionescu. These shoes will be priced at $170 per pair. Someone would cry. Dotun Akintoye on Israel Adesanya as the UFC's next big thing. I didn't tell anyone. It was tough being there and it was tough having to play a top-five matchup right after that. Sabrina: We would stay in the park for hours while our parents worked. Related Accounts. Because I think it would have been a really special run," Graves says in a news conference. . People were crying and just so sad. They came here, and they've worked for everything they've gotten and had to work super hard. While Ionescu is known for her skill on the basketball court, her personal life has also been a topic of interest for fans and the media. A lot of the Pac-12 schools, just 'cause I knew I kind of wanted to stay closer to home. Dan, Sabrina's father:[The twins] always felt comfort with each other. Indeed her legacy at Oregon had already been written. She was named the McDonald's All-America game MVP after scoring a record 25 points, including seven three-pointers, with 10 rebounds. Eddy Ionescu, aka Edward 'Vortex' Ionescu, followed the same path as her sister and is a professional basketball player like her sister. She hadn't yet rewritten the standard for her peers while inspiring the generation to come. According to Ducks coach Kelly Graves, in 2019 Ionescu had "a chance to be a Marcus Mariota, that level of player and an esteemed Oregon Duck when it's all said and done." Christie Hemm Klok for ESPN. [31][32] In the rivalry game against Oregon State on January 24, 2020, Ionescu had 24 points, 9 assists and 4 rebounds and broke Oregon State and NBA star Gary Payton's Pac-12 all-time record of 938 assists. Watching it now, like, wow, a lot of my dreams have become a reality. Additionally, she would receive her bachelor's degree that June. I think she kind of wanted to do it at her own pace. Their warm-ups were elite, and so I think that just goes to show what they built there and what we're trying to build here. Sabrina gets her first collegiate triple-double just seven games into her Oregon career, in a 91-62 victory over San Jose State. They own and run the "Greco's New York Pizzeria," a pizza restaurant located on Hollywood Boulevard. Her sophomore season saw an average attendance of over 4,200; it went up to over 7,100 in her junior season and over 10,000 in her senior season. Sabrina: If we really, really got into it, there'd be blood. Children Age And Net Worth, Joki Octaviano Accident And Cause Of Death How Did He Die? His vision for others is always bigger than that for themselves. November 11, 2022 New York Liberty guard, Sabrina Ionescu rejoins her alma mater as the director of athletic culture. " (I'm) impressed with her rebounding," Quigley said. They were all riled up, and we got a steal, passed it to Sabrina, and she went up for a layup and the guy intentionally fouled her, just pushed her, two hands, in the back. View more on Instagram. I played 1-on-1, collect the money, Slurpees. Sabrina Ionescu only played two full games before her first WNBA season came to a devastating halt. Find out about youtube star Sabrina Ionescu: Age, What she did before fame, her family life Latest information about her on social networks Fun facts: before fame, family life, popularity rankings, and more Her first language was Romanian, which she used when playing with her brother in basketball games. That stuff comes out in you. Eddy: It helped us grow into the people we are, and then we know that we always have each other to fall back on. I went on a walk and just tried to clear my mind to figure out what I wanted to do. I didn't even look at the papers because I thought he just wanted me to hold them. She has no clue, and we're trying to talk about the pros and the cons. Having kids come up to me after the game and just talk to me, wearing my jersey some are shaking and just super excited to meet me is awesome and humbling. 4 UConn, the school for which Gigi hoped to play. Basketball fans are more curious to know is Sabrina Ionescu gay or not. Liliana Blaj, Sabrina's mother: She's the hardest self-critic. EUGENE, Ore. Sabrina Ionescu woke not long after dawn in her small apartment, laced up her black Nikes and walked across a deserted street to the looming arena where she had . Forward Ruthy Hebard bought into her best friend's mission of changing the culture at Oregon. November 14, 2022 Sabrina Ionescu makes Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Sports. Dan: Here's one thing that I've learned through the years with Sabrina. 3 Stanford", "Sabrina Ionescu's career night leads Oregon past Stanford", "Ionescu Breaks Assist Record in Civil War Win, Ducks 76 Beavers 64", "Oregon Ducks women: Ionescu and Hebard reach milestones in lopsided victory", "Gary Payton congratulates Sabrina Ionescu on breaking his Pac-12 all-time assists record", "Sabrina Ionescu Adds Career Milestone in Win vs. UCLA", "Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu Named Honda Sport Award Winner for Basketball", "WNBA mock draft 2019: Predicting all three rounds", "Liberty Select Sabrina Ionescu No. Ionescu is perfectly pixilated for today's generation of young fans, who grew up watching basketball not just on ESPN but also XBox and PlayStation. 'So I made this deal with God. Id play P-I-G, collect the money, Slurpees.. Ionescu garnered added attention on Sunday after she clinched her 18 th career triple-double as the Ducks blew out Indiana 91-68 in the NCAA tournament, the culmination of the college basketball . Months go by. If he won, we'd play again. After two years at the City College of San Francisco, Eddy transfers to Oregon, and he and Sabrina become roommates. Sabrina Ionescu College/Country: Oregon Position: Guard Height: 5'11 Birthdate: December 6, 1997 Birthplace: Walnut Creek, Calif. High School: Miramonte HS / Walnut Creek, Calif. Career. What's next for the prodigious point guard with a penchant for pushing life-altering decisions to the last possible moment? And so I was like, "All right, well this is my chance, I'm going to say something.". Hebard: I was like, she's always yelling! [28], On April 17, 2020, the New York Liberty selected Ionescu with the first overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft. With help from an Ionescu 3-pointer that puts them up by six with 1:12 left, the Ducks beat Mississippi State 88-84 in the Elite Eight to advance, at last, to the Final Four, where they play Baylor. She has played in three games with the Liberty so far. And then I started reading them and I was like, "Oh, I got a triple-double.". Hebard: I think it's just amazing to see what she accomplishes because she works so hard, and then, like, triple-doubles, that's such a big thing. With Oregon poised for a No. 7 overall pick to draft sharp-shooter Stephen Curry from Davidson College. He scored six points per game as a freshman and 9.9 as a sophomore. My dad had no idea. I appreciated it. Earlier that day, she had been a featured speaker at the memorial service for Kobe Bryant, who had become a close personal friend within the previous two years, flying from Los Angeles to the Bay Area immediately after her speech.[2]. The scrappy kid from the Bay Area has risen to become the most formidable player in her sport. At the time, she was the highest-ranked recruit ever to commit to Oregon basketball. Athlete #20 @nike 24 2. Watching movies, drawing, and painting are some of my favorite things to do in my leisure time. In the season before she arrived, the average announced home attendance for the Ducks was 1,501. Edward has also developed into a basketball player who is involved with various national teams. I went to Stanford. She was diagnosed the next day with a[42] grade 3 sprain, and was expected to miss about one month while recovering. I was crying, my family was upset. Ionescu left Miramonte with a career winloss record of 1199 and a school-record 2,606 points scored. Blog . [3], On November 13, 2016, Ionescu made her collegiate debut for Oregon, recording 11 points in an 8467 win over Lamar. Ionescu's friends and family were excited to congratulate the athlete. [29], In the second game of her senior season on November 13, 2019, Ionescu surpassed the 2,000 points, 800 assists mark for her college career with a 10952 win over Utah State. [12] According to Ava Wallace of The Washington Post, Ionescu chose Oregon "because she wanted to be the all-American at Oregon, not just an all-American somewhere else." I know on one Instagram post she kind of talked about, you know, "I let my basketball do the cooking," or whatever the case. Sabrina Ionescu- Professional Life, Career, Awards That same day, Ionescu flies to the Bay Area for a game against Stanford. He hoped that his then-wife, Liliana Blaj, and their son Andrei could join them in a few months, but they were unable to move to the US until 1995. Ionescu attended a middle school that did not have enough players to field a girls' team, and her school refused to allow her to play on the boys' team. There weren't many girls' programs for her as she was growing up, but she found a way to continue to improve and pushed herself to be the best. It might have been 1 or 2 in the morning when Sabrina and I were on the phone when she had decided where she was going to go and just said, "I'll just surprise them when I get there."