The following year, Sabrina leads the Pac-12 in points and assists, and the Ducks earn a 2-seed in the NCAA tournament. My family has always been there for inspiration to keep pushing and one day become a WNBA player.". Basketball Player Born in California #37. Christie Hemm Klok for ESPN. Sabrina Ionescu and twin brother Eddy's trick to get free - RSN 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. Draft", "07/29/20: New York Liberty @ Dallas Wings", "Your Day in Women's Basketball, October 12: Sabrina Ionescu is ready to ball", "New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu leaves game after ankle injury", "What Sabrina Ionescu's injury means for her rookie season and the New York Liberty", "Ionescu Records Liberty's First-Ever Triple Double", "Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu records first 30-point triple-double in WNBA history in win over Aces", "Oregon Ducks Take USA Basketball Women's 3x3 National Championship Title", "Sabrina Ionescu leads Oregon to USA 3-on-3 national championship", "Oregon players to represent U.S. in FIBA 3x3 World Cup", "Don't call them kids they just swept their pool at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2018", "Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu wins PAC-12 Player of the Year while playing for Christ", "Sabrina Ionescu: 5 Facts About Superstar Picked No. When I was younger, I was always playing with the guys, and I had to find ways to get the ball, because they never wanted to pass to me. I think he's her lock screen right now actually. "My Romanian heritage influences my life on a daily basis and is something that I find pride in," she says. After all, Ive never met another Romanian basketball player on the floor., twin brother Eddy Ionescu gave us tv gold last night with a Romanian breakdown of the game of his sis @sabrina_i20 @OregonWBB #WNCAA pic.twitter.com/YFuCJ2BUDo, Many NBA Players Supported the WNBA in a Big Way. Before she was born, her family fled Romania during the communist revolution, and Sabrina and her twin brother Eddy were born in Walnut Creek, California on Dec. 6, 1997. At first he was a little skeptical. More importantly, he didn't just show up in my life and leave -- he stayed. 1 pick in Friday's WNBA Draft . On the morning of Jan. 26, 2020, the sports world stands still when news breaks that Kobe and Gigi Bryant are among the nine passengers killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. She wasn't ready for that yet. [3] By that time, Dan owned a limousine service in Northern California, where he had chosen to settle because he had several extended family members in that area. Born in Walnut Creek, CA #6. In 2012, Sabrina and Eddy enroll at Miramonte High School, where Sopak coaches. 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. There, she achieved an impressive milestone, becoming the first college basketball player to collect 1,000 assists, 2,000 points, and 1,000 rebounds in a career. I figured out ways to write poems about basketball the entire year. Sabrina Ionescu: Why this offseason was different than any - nypost.com At the time, she was the highest-ranked recruit ever to commit to Oregon basketball. 1 defensive team. Lying in her bed, wrapped in her gray blankets, she'll try to meditate. View more on Instagram. Doesn't work. [47] Ionescu had never before played under FIBA 3x3 rules, admitting after the tournament, "I had to ask the rules before the games started. Sabrina: He believed in me, and he knew that this is kind of what happens your freshman year, you just figure out how you're supposed to play, what works, what doesn't work. Most Popular #24328. [39] However, Ionescu announced in an open letter published in The Players' Tribune on April 6, 2019, the day after Oregon's loss to Baylor in the Final Four and four days before the draft, that she would return to Oregon for her senior season. As a kid, Ionescu was always competitive, playing sports with and against her twin brother Eddy. Ionescu finally committed to Oregon just before the school's 2016 summer term began, driving with her father for 8 hours from their Bay Area home to Eugene, making an unannounced visit to Matthew Knight Arena and telling head coach Kelly Graves that she would join the team. Sabrina Ionescu: 4 facts about the Oregon women's basketball star We lost nine games while she was in high school. Sabrina Ionescu Parents: Meet Liliana Blaj And Dan Ionescu- Where Are Sabrina: I showered, I had some food. Eddy: We didn't have these crazy expensive trainers, or these really nice exquisite gyms to go to, with the shooting machines and all this. When I found out Sabrina had a twin brother, Eddy, I immediately knew I wanted to interview them together because they . Sabrina is a basketball player now engaged with the former American football player Hroniss Grasu. 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." She recalled, "My middle school said I should be playing with dolls. Oregon coach Kelly Graves has developed a sense for nights when his star will get a triple-double. 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. "Swear to God, we . Hebard: I think it's needed. There was no celebration; Ionescu went home to the apartment across the street from Oregon's basketball facility that she shares with her twin brother, Eddy. Sports world reacts to Sabrina Ionescu announcement That same day, Ionescu flies to the Bay Area for a game against Stanford. She did believe every word she wrote [in her speech when she was 12]. Graves' remarks about Ionescu's future iconic status at Oregon proved to be prophetic. Hebard: She loves Steph Curry. Now, almost a full year later, the 23-year-old New York Liberty superstar thinks she deserves a new rookie . Sabrina Ionescu and her twin brother, Eddy, have always shared a special bond that was strengthened by their shared love of basketball. Her father, Dan Ionescu, fled communist Romania around the time of the 1989 revolution, seeking political asylum in the United States. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Legend of Sabrina Ionescu - ESPN.com They own and run the "Greco's New York Pizzeria," a pizza restaurant located on Hollywood Boulevard. They had heard the language at home throughout their lives. She was diagnosed the next day with a[42] grade 3 sprain, and was expected to miss about one month while recovering. 1 overall WNBA pick and owns too many UO program records to count. [1] Ionescu was also a significant draw when Oregon went on the road; for example, when the Ducks visited Washington during her junior season, the crowd for that game was 3,000 more than the Huskies drew two nights earlier against Oregon State.[7]. Dan, Sabrina's father:[The twins] always felt comfort with each other. Sabrina: I remember I was in the front yard with Eddy, and he was like, "My left hand's better than yours." Sue Bird, for comparison's sake, averages 1.7 rebounds a game, while Sky veteran guard Allie Quigley tallies 2.8 a game. Hroniss Grasu and Sabrina Ionescu are a Lovely Couple. It's awesome to be part of a team that has accomplished that. She becomes friends with Kobe, who mentors her, and with his daughter Gianna and her Mamba teammates. We couldn't hear ourselves, we couldn't hear our coach, just because of how many fans were there. Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i) Instagram photos and videos NBA stars like Steph Curry and Kobe Bryant take notice of Sabrina's game. Then you start to realize the incredible competitiveness that she has, the skill level that she has, the physical and mental toughness that she has. I went on a walk and just tried to clear my mind to figure out what I wanted to do. . Eddy: One of my favorite memories of Sabrina and I growing up was just going to the park. 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 . And so we'd play him in H-O-R-S-E, two-on-two, one-on-one. 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. 1 seed in the Pac-12 Women's Basketball Tournament. Sabrina's like that to this day. Eddy is also a basketball player. Geno Auriemma, UConn coach: When she was a freshman, we overwhelmed them. Ramona Shelburne on why playing for the Clippers is deeper than basketball for Paul George. 1 seed and a deep run in the postseason, the NCAA halted its tournaments amid the coronavirus pandemic, effectively ending Sabrina's collegiate career. Seven years later, Ionescu and her twin brother, Eddy, were born. And we were going against the No. Sabrina Ionescu: Rise of Oregon basketball's triple double star Furthermore, Ionescu and her team finished as the Northern California Section Division II runner-up team. As Sabrina processes her grief, she dedicates her season and everything that comes next to Kobe. [36] Ten days later in the Ducks' 7466 win at #4 Stanford, she became the first NCAA player ever with 2,000 points, 1,000 assists, and 1,000 rebounds in a career. She absolutely killed it that game. Being able to grow up, have the same friends, play the same sports and do everything together is really fun. Edited by Sam Nicodemo and Warren Wolcott. Edward has also developed into a basketball player who is involved with various national teams. [49] At the World Cup, they were the youngest team in the field, but swept their pool, defeating Cup holders Russia along the way. Basketball fans are more curious to know is Sabrina Ionescu gay or not. Eddy has since joined Oregons team. Sabrina Ionescu - Net Worth, Age, Bio, Wiki, Fact, Nationality WNBA Star Sabrina Ionescu Is Engaged to Las Vegas Raiders' Hroniss Talking about her academics, she attended Miramonte High School from 2012 to 2016. November 14, 2022 Sabrina Ionescu makes Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Sports. Sabrina Ionescu Family, Net Worth , Parents, Boyfriend, Children Sabrina: It was between Oregon and Washington, and I had no idea. According to TMZ Sports, a rookie trading card of Ionescu has officially become the most expensive WNBA trading card in history, selling for $10,800 on Sunday night. Her father, Dan, once met Luka Dukich, an Executive director for Chicago Bulls, while he was driving Uber in San Francisco. She owns a record-setting 18 career triple-doubles - the most of any student-athlete in a single season and career. He was always super supportive and was like, "Don't worry, keep getting in the gym, keep getting extra shots.". We didn't really talk about the game for a little while. "She's an unbelievable talent on that team," Curry would go on to say in a Warriors news conference. She was named the McDonald's All-America game MVP after scoring a record 25 points, including seven three-pointers, with 10 rebounds. March 28, 2020. During that time, her father's wife was Liliana Blaj, who was living apart from her only husband. Sabrina Ionescu - Age, Family, Bio | Famous Birthdays As the years passed, the game respected her wishes. Meta. Sabrina Ionescu: Face of the Franchise - Boardroom " (I'm) impressed with her rebounding," Quigley said. Graves: I think Sabrina in New York, if that's the way it works out, is a match made in heaven. Sabrina: If we really, really got into it, there'd be blood. Eddy Ionescu, a professional basketball player with the New York Liberty, is Sabrina Ionescu's brother. For over six years, the family was separated. She set an NCAA triple-double record instead", "Sabrina Ionescu, 'The Franchise,' accepts ALL-USA Girls Basketball Player of the Year trophy", "Miramonte High School standout named Gatorade California Girls Basketball Player of the Year", "ESPN Recruiting Profile of Sabrina Ionescu", "Oregon Ducks' Sabrina Ionescu is ESPNW's player of the week", "Ducks' Sabrina Ionescu, Ruthy Hebard among position award winners", "Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon State's Marie Gulich named ESPN All-Americans", "Oregon vs. Alaska Fairbanks Game Summary November 6, 2018 ESPN", "Buffalo vs. Oregon Game Summary November 18, 2018 ESPN", "espnW on Twitter: "Oregon's @sabrina_i20 messed around and got her 13th career triple-double. Carlos Serrao for ESPN. Like regular kids. ESPN Producer Emma Reed Profiles Sabrina Ionescu With - ESPN Front Row . Her first language . He, Read More Rob Herring Wife: Who Is Nicola Herring? With Oregon ranked No. Sopak: The biggest challenge she has now is overcoming losing. Case UpdateContinue, Stanley Wilson Jr Wife does not exist, as the player was single till his death. Nothing is ever given to us now. But you see your parents just going to work every day, working hard. Sabrina Ionescu Popularity . Sabrina Elaine Ionescu (born December 6, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). It was hard. My dad had no idea. Sabrina Ionescu only played two full games before her first WNBA season came to a devastating halt. No one spoke. The New York Liberty guard, 25, shared on Saturday that she and the Las Vegas Raiders center, 31, are set to wed. "It . [11] Ionescu was named a McDonald's All-America and Jordan Brand All-American selection. [19] Twelve days later, she would tie the NCAA triple-double record, with her 12th triple-double in a win against Buffalo. As the story's author Damian Foley put it, Yes, Sabrina Elaine Ionescu, who only earned her diploma in 2019, is considered by UO fans to be one of the four greatest Ducks ever, standing alongside such greats as Marcus Mariota, Steve Prefontaine, and the alumnus who co-founded Nike and made the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact possible. 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. I felt her emotional side of it, which is kind of weird to describe. The Ducks administer a historic walloping, beating the Huskies 74-56 for their worst loss ever at Gampel. So I just remember, I said, "I'm going to stay." Her 1.93-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio was second-best in the Pac-12. April 17, 2020 Nike, Inc. signs WNBAs #1 overall pick, Sabrina Ionescu to multiyear endorsement deal which will include signature footwear and apparel..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}"Nike signs #1 pick Sabrina Ionescu to multiyear endorsement deal".