I didn't tell anyone. After the NCAA made the extraordinary decision last week to cancel its tournaments, The ultimate guide to Oregon women's basketball star Sabrina Ionescu, Women coaches discuss their ascension in the men's league, Ionescu is women's college basketball's player of the year, NCAA to discuss granting athletes eligibility relief, Why Megan Rapinoe's brother Brian is her greatest heartbreak, and hope, Whatever happened to Villanova basketball star Shelly Pennefather? [24][25][26] In the 2019 NCAA Tournament, Ionescu leads the Ducks to their first Final Four appearance after their 8884 victory over Mississippi State. He once played at the City College of San Francisco before moving to Oregon, where he joined the Ducks men's team in 2019-20. . Eddy Ionescu, aka Edward 'Vortex' Ionescu, followed the same path as her sister and is a professional basketball player like her sister. The referee came over, ejected him, and Sabrina just got up and started clapping in his face. Bryant narrates a Detail episode praising her physicality, court awareness and midrange game. WNBA Star Sabrina Ionescu Is Engaged to Las Vegas Raiders' Hroniss 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. Sabrina Ionescu's resume is long and exceptional: Two-time Pac-12 Conference player of the year; back-to-back First-Team All-American; National Player of the Year candidate; NCAA career triple-double record holder (18); probable No. Everything was fair game. What high school did Sabrina Ionescu go to? In the postgame interview, she calls out ESPN: "It probably still won't get recognized because ESPN never recognizes women's sports. She wasn't ready for that yet. Children Age And Net WorthContinue, Joki Octaviano Accident caused death after having life-threatening injuries. Sabrina: We would stay in the park for hours while our parents worked. Her twin, Edward also played basketball at the City College of San Francisco and was solely a student in the 2018-19 school year, before walking on to the Ducks men's basketball team in 2019-20. ", Sabrina: They had posted something about Ja Morant getting one and said that there was only eight or seven people that ever got one in the NCAA tournament, and they listed all the men that had gotten a triple-double. [53], Ionescu is engaged to former Oregon football player and Las Vegas Raiders center Hroniss Grasu.[54]. Most Popular #24328. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft by the New York Liberty. Children Age And Net Worth, Joki Octaviano Accident And Cause Of Death How Did He Die? 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. Sabrina Ionescu: Rise of Oregon basketball's triple double star Sabrina Ionescu's brother Eddy Ionescu is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty. 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." Everyone's watching us. That was the only thing he said, and I was like, "All right." We were always so competitive, and I think it's 'cause we were the same age. Sabrina Ionescu has been in the spotlight since she was a teenager. ESPN Producer Emma Reed Profiles Sabrina Ionescu With - ESPN Front Row Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu announces engagement to Raiders' Hroniss Grasu He drove to my house to pick me up [Sabrina's parents had divorced], not knowing whether we were going to drive to U-Dub or Oregon. They just cheered for the team and cheered for Sabrina. Sabrina Ionescu Family, Net Worth , Parents, Boyfriend, Children Sabrina Ionescu had 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists Sunday to lead Oregon to an 88-84 win over Mississippi State in the Portland Regional final at Moda Center. Sabrina Ionescu: 4 facts about the Oregon women's basketball star And she only got better from there, eventually leading the Ducks to a Final Four and going No. And she usually delivers. The Legend of Sabrina Ionescu - ESPN.com As a freshman at Oregon, she recorded four triple-doubles and was named USBWA National Freshman of the Year. It's awesome to be part of a team that has accomplished that. Eddy: Kobe's just wired different is what she told me. "Swear to God, we . Eddy Ionescu, Sabrina's twin brother, was born just 18 minutes after her in 1997. Sabrina: I knew I was doing a little bit of everything, but there were no stats up on the scoreboard. [4][5] Eddy played basketball at the City College of San Francisco before transferring to Oregon; he was solely a student in the 201819 school year[6] before walking on to the Ducks men's basketball team in 201920. Sabrina: I took a few unofficials. That's what I admire most about her. 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 is one of the most highly touted college players to ever get drafted into the WNBA. Sabrina became the first college basketball player to compile 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists the same day she spoke at Kobe and Gianna Bryant's memorial. 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. My dad had no idea. Dan: She will not back down from anything, and he will not back down from anything. While we wait and wonder about what will be, we reflect on the moments and milestones that have already been. I shot 3-pointers, free throws, everything left-handed. 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. She finished at Miramonte High School in Orinda, California. 1 defensive team. Sabrina Ionescu and her twin brother, Eddy, have always shared a special bond that was strengthened by their shared love of basketball. BROOKLYN, NY - JULY 23: Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty dribbles the ball during the game against the Chicago Sky on July 23, 2022 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. His vision for others is always bigger than that for themselves. Sabrina Ionescu makes NCAA history in win at Stanford | CNN Likewise, she attended Miramonte High School in Orinda, California. 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. 4 UConn, the school for which Gigi hoped to play. [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. And so I had to learn how to use the ball screens and all the frustration that comes with that. She has played in three games with the Liberty so far. Sopak: I'm on the phone with her and she has 19 minutes to notify the WNBA [laughs] if she's going to declare for the draft, and we're seeing things on Twitter that she's going, she's not going, and we're laughing about it because she doesn't know. And that fourth quarter, we just didn't shoot the ball well. Dan: She would start, a minute here, minute there when a kid was not there. That stuff comes out in you. Ionescu's Oregon Ducks also won the Pac-12 championship for the first time since 2000. Eddy: Summers in California were just basketball and sleep, pretty much. Why Sabrina Ionescu's rebounding is crucial to her role as the WNBA's 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. I was happy that she pushed back. And he came, and his voice was shaking because I had like 10 minutes to decide and I hadn't decided. He noted that attendance at Oregon women's games had dramatically increased during Ionescu's career at the school. Ionescu also held the single-game scoring record of 43 points vs. Pinewood High School while being double- and triple-teamed and the single game record in assists with 19 at Dublin High School. 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 also posted seven double-doubles, ranked third in the Pac-12 and 29th in the NCAA with 183 assists on the year. 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." And he definitely helped me with that, growing up. There is no related content available. Sabrina: I just don't really like to be out there like that. 1 pick in Friday's WNBA Draft . 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. Sabrina Ionescu - Bio, Age, Wiki, Facts and Family - in4fp.com It was tough being there and it was tough having to play a top-five matchup right after that. Furthermore, Ionescu and her team finished as the Northern California Section Division II runner-up team. She was born with her twin brother named Edward also called Eddy, who was born only 18 minutes after the birth of Sabrina. They would compete against older men at the basketball court to win extra money. Sabrina Ionescu: The making of a legend | ESPN Cover Story Hroniss Grasu and Sabrina Ionescu are a Lovely Couple. Carlos Serrao for ESPN. Small and stubborn, she willed her game to improve. It's a great role model for other kids to watch and say, "That kid's doing it, not just by God-given foot speed or strength or agility, she's doing it because she's just skilled. Sabrina: Growing up, I loved having role models and being able to look up to Steph and Kobe and players like that for inspiration. Her first language was Romanian, which she used when playing with her brother in basketball games. The two started playing basketball together when they were in grade school. Her mother is Liliana Blaj and she has a twin brother Edward ("Eddy"). [50], * 2020 NCAA tournament canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic, Ionescu is a Christian. College basketball star Sabrina Ionescu and her twin brother hustled Ionescu, a Walnut Creek, California native, grew up a Golden State Warriors fan and would drive the 16.5 miles west on CA-24 to watch her team from the stands of Oracle Arena. She debuted for Oregon in November 2016, scoring 11 points in a win over Lamar. I went to Stanford. Eddy recorded an average of 6.0 points per game in his first year in 2016-17, and as a sophomore, he recorded 9.9 points per outing in 2017-18. Inside Sabrina Ionescu's relationship with "big brother - RSN What she had done, as a 12-year-old member of the Toastmasters International Club, was write a speech titled "How My Basketball Dreams Began. "You just see it's a little bit different in her preparation, in her focus, in her manner," he says. Ionescu T-Shirts for Sale | TeePublic [52] Ionescu is also very close friends with former teammate Ruthy Hebard. She hadn't yet rewritten the standard for her peers while inspiring the generation to come. Ionescu then had 10 points on four-of-five shooting in 12 minutes in her third WNBA game, but left early with an ankle injury. Ionescus love for the sport started at a young age, as she began playing basketball when she was only three years old. Sabrina Ionescu - WNBA News, Rumors, & Updates | FOX Sports But if I did, they were only tears of joy. We would get hungry, we'd want some money. She brought one of Kobe's books into the locker room, and we all looked at it. And so we'd play him in H-O-R-S-E, two-on-two, one-on-one. [3] Sabrina was around three years old when she first picked up a basketball. She's not the biggest, quickest, fastest, strongest. This team is based in Brooklyn and is well-known in the WNBA. Dotun Akintoye on Israel Adesanya as the UFC's next big thing. Yeah, she doesn't miss free throws very often anymore. After starring for the Oregon Ducks womens college basketball team, Ionescu has since joined the New York Liberty. Sabrina Elaine Ionescu is an American basketball . Sabrina: It was between Oregon and Washington, and I had no idea. My family has always been there for inspiration to keep pushing and one day become a WNBA player.". Marc Spears on Blazers guard Damian Lillard, who reps his hometown on and off the court. Ionescu was born in Walnut Creek, California, to Romanian-American parents. A Big 3 of Jones, Stewart and Ionescu would. Months go by. I used my older brother as inspiration to keep improving. 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. After just scoring 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting in her first game, Ionescu scored 33 points on 11-of-20 shooting in her second. Eddy: I remember we went straight to the gym afterward, just started throwing free throws for hours. She responded by recruiting enough girls to enable her school to have a team. [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]. For Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu, roots led to stardom Later, he was transferred to Oregon Ducks and played for them like his sister. 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. Sabrina: We struggled, and I think we didn't handle adversity very well. Like his sister Sabrina, Edward plays basketball for the NCAA's Oregon Ducks. Basketball fans are more curious to know is Sabrina Ionescu gay or not. You know, post their top-fives in Instagram and Twitter and let everyone know. Those are probably my two favorite players. Seven years later, Ionescu and her twin brother, Eddy, were born. 706K followers. The WNBA draft order is released in September, and the New York Liberty draw the top pick. [19] Twelve days later, she would tie the NCAA triple-double record, with her 12th triple-double in a win against Buffalo. She posted a triple-double in the championship game loss to Chaminade with 24 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. Tyrese Haliburton Sister, Who Are His Siblings? Eddy: Whether she would bust my lip, or I hit her in the nose on accident, or whatever it was, we would absolutely play through the blood. Oregon guard Sabrina Ionescu has made a name for herself as one of the best college basketball players. Seriously, word-for-word." It's Oregon's first triple-double since 1988. I was like, "I just don't know. She was named the McDonald's All-America game MVP after scoring a record 25 points, including seven three-pointers, with 10 rebounds. So Sabrina always kept her shoes with her when we went to Eddy's games. 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. Graves: We had a chance. Sabrina: The fact that I had to fight for every rebound, because he wasn't going to give me anything easy, is kind of what I translate to my game now. She is the NCAA all-time leader in career triple-doubles, the Pac-12 Conference all-time leader in assists, and the only NCAA Division I basketball player to record 2,000 . I was hoping, and I felt like, OK, she's got something to prove and she would like to come back. Graves: I didn't know who had her ear, quite frankly. Sabrina Ionescu was born on 6th December 1997 and grew up in Walnut Creek, California, to her Romanian-American parents. Her two brothers were a big help in developing her basketball skills. how dedicated I was to playing the game. Because they knew exactly how it was gonna start. In March, the 31-2 Ducks are poised for a 1-seed and deep run in the NCAA tournament. Sabrina's ancestry is Romanian-Caucasian and has a twin brother, Edward. There'd be fights. She owns a record-setting 18 career triple-doubles - the most of any student-athlete in a single season and career. Produced by Nancy Devaney and Emma Reed. Sabrina dedicated her season -- and everything that comes after -- to her mentor, Kobe Bryant. Ionescu told Insider she thinks she should be a rookie again this year, but the WNBA disagrees. 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. In 2012, Sabrina and Eddy enroll at Miramonte High School, where Sopak coaches. Sabrina's father, Dan, didn't know which way he'd be heading the day he picked up his daughter to drive her to college. With her darting moves, pinpoint passes and. Wife And Net Worth Revealed. She played college basketball for the Oregon Ducks. Athlete #20 @nike 24 2. All About Hroniss Grasu and His Relationship with Sabrina Ionescu 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. The scrappy kid from the Bay Area has risen to become the most formidable player in her sport. The fact he was so angry and so aggressive with that. It's crazy to see everything come full circle and see how young I was and the dreams that I had and . Then passing-wise, when I was in sixth grade playing with the eighth-grade team, I was obviously a lot shorter, skinnier, smaller than they were. That's all I said. Sabrina Ionescu: 'My time with Kobe meant everything to - the Guardian Sabrina Ionescu's organic fame speaks to her character, skill - Yahoo! I just walked into the locker room and knew we won. Ionescu, meanwhile, stars for the New York Liberty. Every time I stood up, everyone in unison would be like, "basketball." See All. . [28] This announcement came shortly after Ionescu accepted a place in a newly launched one-year master's degree program in brand creation in UO's School of Journalism and Communications. Not only were they difficult to guard while growing up, but they also, at times, communicated in fluent Romanian, according to The Oregonian. Ionescu was born to Romanian-American parents in Walnut Creek, California. 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: My dad would try to coach from the stands, and he'd yell stuff in Romanian to me. In addition to the career record, Ionescu also held the Miramonte top three single season scoring records with 598 (201314), 760 (201415) and 834 (201516). [51] She was close with Kobe Bryant, with whom she had one-on-one training sessions, and spoke at the Kobe & Gianna Bryant Celebration of Life at the Staples Center on February 24, 2020. Ionescu has been in a relationship with her boyfriend, Hroniss Grasu, for a long time. If we ever needed a player, I would just look at Sabrina. Sabrina: I love having a relationship with [Curry], just being able to remember when I was little, watching him and kind of emulating my game after him, to now being able to call him or text him any time that I need help with something. He scored six points per game as a freshman and 9.9 as a sophomore. Eddy: We competed in everything. As Sabrina processes her grief, she dedicates her season and everything that comes next to Kobe. Eddy: One day when we were short I think we only had four guys warming up I asked my coach if it was all right to have my sister play with us. If. No one spoke. I'm torn.". Liliana: I still feel like I'm just living in dreams, especially at the bigger games, and when I know that next year she's going to join a professional team, it's something that I never thought was going to happen. Sabrina Ionescu brother, Edward, is also a basketball player. Sabrina Ionescu and her supportive father's story that is trending on Sabrina: They were coming to win that game, not by one or two points. They would compete against older men at the basketball court to win extra . 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. She needs to be playing on that kind of a stage. Whether it was our chores, whether it was our homework, whether it was eating dinner, racing to whoever can get in bed first. Id play P-I-G, collect the money, Slurpees.. "[48] She adjusted quickly to the unfamiliar format, leading her team to the championship while going unbeaten and also being named tournament MVP. The New York Liberty guard, 25, shared on Saturday that she and the Las Vegas Raiders center, 31, are set to wed. "It . 1 pick in the 2020 draft. [45], On July 6, 2022, Ionescu had 31 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to record the first 30-point triple-double in WNBA history.[46]. Sabrina Ionescu Bio, Age, Height, Boyfriend, Net Worth - Wealthy Spy 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. Eddy has since joined Oregons team. However, these rumors are entirely false, and she is not gay. You just walk away, you mind your own business. So I figured that if I could rebound, I would be able to get the ball myself. She has recorded 10-assist games 13 times this season, handing out a league season-high 14 twice. . We just started in a park, you know? WNBA's Sabrina Ionescu teams up with Xbox to empower young girls to Oregon Ducks point guard Sabrina Ionescu sits down with Maria Taylor and opens up about the strong bond she has with her twin brother Eddy Ionescu and her pa. [20] On December 20, 2018, Ionescu recorded her 13th triple-double in a game against Air Force and broke the NCAA triple-double record for both men's and women's basketball. Edward has also developed . I remember we were neck and neck with this one team. 4 overall player in the recruiting class of 2016. Sabrina Ionescu only played two full games before her first WNBA season came to a devastating halt. He played basketball at City College of San Francisco. Get to know Sabrina Ionescu, from her stellar Oregon career to Kobe The Athletics Shams Charania reported that she is expected to miss approximately one month as she has a Grade 3 left ankle sprain. He has an older brother named Nico, who was a placekicker for Washington State from 2008 to 2010. On November 6, 2018, Ionescu recorded her 11th triple-double in a victory against Alaska-Fairbanks. At the end of the regular season, she was named Pac-12 Freshmen of the Year and unanimous First Team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Freshman Team selection. Ionescu leads the Ducks with 15 points and eight rebounds, but the Huskies win 90-52. I think she has a chance to really change the game and the way the game is viewed by everybody. The couple recently got engaged on January 20, 2023, and Ionescu even shared a photo from their engagement on her Instagram account. [3], On November 13, 2016, Ionescu made her collegiate debut for Oregon, recording 11 points in an 8467 win over Lamar. Ten years ago, Sabrina Ionescu hadn't yet turned the basketball world on its head. 5 Fast Facts - Sabrina Ionescu's Twin Brother: Eddy Ionescu And then Kelly didn't say anything, he just handed me the papers with the stats on it and continued to have his postgame speech. Playing basketball with her older brother, Andrei, and her twin brother, Eddy, had taught her the joy of clawing for every rebound, every point. Two times Pac-12 Player of the year, finished his collegiate career at the University of Oregon Ducks women's basketball team. Additionally, she was awarded the USBWA National Freshman of the Year presented by the United States Basketball Writers Association. Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu (20) celebrates after a game against Mississippi State during the 2019 NCAA women's tournament. She was named Pac-12 Freshman of Week four times and was named USBWA National Player of the Week. Dan, Sabrina's father:[The twins] always felt comfort with each other. I went right back at him. I think she kind of wanted to do it at her own pace. Eddy Ionescu, a professional basketball player with the New York Liberty, is Sabrina Ionescu's brother. Ionescu actually has a twin brother named Eddy who also plays basketball. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Ruthy Hebard, Sabrina's Oregon teammate and best friend: Right off the bat, she was a leader. Edward has also developed into a basketball player who is involved with various national teams. [28], On April 17, 2020, the New York Liberty selected Ionescu with the first overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft. I think he almost started crying, gave me a hug, everyone was super happy, and then I started school the next day.
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