Wife And Net Worth Revealed. Marc Spears on Blazers guard Damian Lillard, who reps his hometown on and off the court. She has a twin brother Edward ("Eddy"), who was born 18 minutes after her. The great ones are like that. Also, people are curious to know more about her partner, parents and family. 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." She did believe every word she wrote [in her speech when she was 12]. Ten years ago, Sabrina Ionescu hadn't yet turned the basketball world on its head. Eddy: I wasn't too jealous of the people she's met until Steph and Kobe. Oregon coach Kelly Graves has developed a sense for nights when his star will get a triple-double. Sabrina logged 15.0 points per game in her career and 17.4 in 2022 through 36 games thus far this season. Posts. In a 2019 interview with Ava Wallace of The Washington Post, Ionescu admitted to being a "natural scorer", but said that most of the rest of her skill set came from playing alongside both boys and older girls in her childhood:[7].mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. Just show the world what we can do a little more. 1 pick in the 2020 draft. Graves: She takes it to heart. [21][22] She was later named ESPNW Player of the Week. I shot 3-pointers, free throws, everything left-handed. She has recorded 10-assist games 13 times this season, handing out a league season-high 14 twice. Liliana Blaj, Sabrina's mother: She's the hardest self-critic. I went to Stanford. Sabrina Ionescu. Id sit there and try and act like I had no idea how to play, and so they had betted money, and then it was game on, Sabrina told ESPNW. Ionescus stellar play in college led to her becoming the No. Eddy Ionescu, aka Edward 'Vortex' Ionescu, followed the same path as her sister and is a professional basketball player like her sister. Earlier in the season, Sabrina watched the video her father took of her young self making that Toastmasters speech about her basketball dreams. I felt like I completely let the team down. Whoever came walking up to the park, we're like, "All right, we'll pick on this guy." Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu (20) celebrates after a game against Mississippi State during the 2019 NCAA women's tournament. I was happy that she pushed back. Sabrina: We would stay in the park for hours while our parents worked. 1 in the preseason Top 25, the spotlight on Sabrina is brighter than ever. 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). 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. After becoming eligible in 2019, Ionescu joined the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) and continued to show her impressive talents. Sabrina Ionescu is ready for a full season in the WNBA after an injury-shortened rookie year. They came here, and they've worked for everything they've gotten and had to work super hard. 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. Eddy Ionescu, aka Edward 'Vortex' Ionescu, followed the same path as her sister and is a professional basketball player like her sister. 1 in W.N.B.A. 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. And then we kind of just sat down and discussed what her next plan was. I think he almost started crying, gave me a hug, everyone was super happy, and then I started school the next day. Her 1.93-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio was second-best in the Pac-12. And he came, and his voice was shaking because I had like 10 minutes to decide and I hadn't decided. If he won, we'd play again. Sabrina Ionescu Popularity . Like his sister Sabrina, Edward plays basketball for the NCAA's Oregon Ducks. So Sabrina always kept her shoes with her when we went to Eddy's games. Bryant narrates a Detail episode praising her physicality, court awareness and midrange game. [43][44] In the end, though, she did not play again for the remainder of her first professional season. I'm torn.". Sabrina: Everything that I'm going to do, I'm going to make sure that he stays close. I just walked into the locker room and knew we won. Sabrina Ionescu was born on December 6, 1997, in Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, California, United States. [3] Sabrina was around three years old when she first picked up a basketball. I was like, "I just don't know. She received the 2019 John R. Wooden Award and both the 2018 and 2019 Nancy Lieberman Award. Sabrina Ionescu is one of the most highly touted college players to ever get drafted into the WNBA. Eddy just finished his redshirt junior season at Oregon. I figured out ways to write poems about basketball the entire year. She has her eye on a matchup with Diana Taurasi, who is widely considered the league's GOAT. Dan Ionescu and Liliana Blaj, her proud parents, welcomed her into the world. Just because I knew she tasted how close it was to winning that national championship. She is also the NCAAs all-time triple-double leader with 26, and she is fourth on the all-time NCAA womens list in career assists with 1,091. Edward has also developed into a basketball player who is involved with various national teams. Eddy: That was probably one of her biggest lows. I think that, you know, college, even high school girls, athletes, need to step up and say, "Hey, we deserve this," "Hey, do you see what I'm doing?" Ionescu also helped lead the Ducks to the Final Four in 2018-19. Sabrina: They were coming to win that game, not by one or two points. Ionescu also shares her knowledge with boys and girls at camps and academies, including Bryant's Mamba Sports Academy. And nothing was ever given to us as kids. ", 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. My dad had no idea. Someone would cry. A Big 3 of Jones, Stewart and Ionescu would. Meta. You know, post their top-fives in Instagram and Twitter and let everyone know. Ionescu also recorded her eighth triple-double of the season, tying her own NCAA single-season record from last season. Her name hadn't yet become synonymous with the term "triple-double." 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. By 50. . 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. 213,394 likes. She was named the McDonald's All-America game MVP after scoring a record 25 points, including seven three-pointers, with 10 rebounds. So I didn't post anything. 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. Seven years later, Ionescu and her twin brother, Eddy, were born. The Ducks then went 31-2 in 2019-20 with Ionescu. Sabrina: I remember I was in the front yard with Eddy, and he was like, "My left hand's better than yours." That stuff comes out in you. Our dad was the outlet pass, so he didn't stop it for anything. So I figured that if I could rebound, I would be able to get the ball myself. Case UpdateContinue, Stanley Wilson Jr Wife does not exist, as the player was single till his death. She absolutely killed it that game. Despite having only played for three seasons at this point, Ionescu was eligible for the 2019 WNBA draft by age. I try to score, and try to rebound and pass, and just do everything that I can to help the team. I had to let her be, just because I knew her draft decision was coming up. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Seven years later, Ionescu and her twin brother, Eddy, were born. Sabrina: We're built-in best friends. Forward Ruthy Hebard bought into her best friend's mission of changing the culture at Oregon. However, that's quite a pull, you know? That same day, Ionescu flies to the Bay Area for a game against Stanford. Geno Auriemma, UConn coach: When she was a freshman, we overwhelmed them. His sister, Sabrina, is a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) professional). We print the highest quality ionescu t-shirts on the internet Ionescu has been in a relationship with her boyfriend, Hroniss Grasu, for a long time. Her soon-to-be favorite player entered the league in 2009, when the Warriors used the No. Sabrina, his sister, plays professionally in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The entire time, he had played it off that he was like, "We'll do whatever's best for you," and then was like, "All right, I'm going to go on a walk." 1 pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft taking place this Friday, April 17. We didn't really talk about the game for a little while. Ionescu's Oregon Ducks also won the Pac-12 championship for the first time since 2000. And I was like, "I'm by the hotel here." Just being able to, you know, have that platform now at Oregon is something that kind of sparks me to try to just voice my opinion on social media. Edward has also developed . I'm kind of a procrastinator, so I let it get to like an hour before I had to decide. Likewise, she attended Miramonte High School in Orinda, California. In an interview with ESPN, the presumptive No. [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. Sabrina was around three years old when she first picked up a basketball. His sister, Sabrina, is a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) professional). You just see it's a little bit different in her preparation, in her focus, in her manner. Now, almost a full year later, the 23-year-old New York Liberty superstar thinks she deserves a new rookie . I just showed up. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft by the New York Liberty. The talented professional basketball player Sabrina has been the subject of rumors regarding her sexual orientation. The scrappy kid from the Bay Area has risen to become the most formidable player in her sport. 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". 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. Sabrina: My dad would try to coach from the stands, and he'd yell stuff in Romanian to me. 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. When I found out Sabrina had a twin brother, Eddy, I immediately knew I wanted to interview them together because they . Like regular kids. Sabrina dedicated her season -- and everything that comes after -- to her mentor, Kobe Bryant. 2 Duke en route to an improbable Elite Eight matchup against top-seeded UConn. Edited by Sam Nicodemo and Warren Wolcott. Her elder brother is Andrei Ionescu. [My family] saw the pros in both decisions, and they just told me, "The decision is yours, do what you want, we support you." There'd be fights. In March, the 31-2 Ducks are poised for a 1-seed and deep run in the NCAA tournament. On April 14, 2020, Ionescu was named the winner of the Honda Sports Award as the best collegiate female basketball player in the nation. Sabrina: What we've been building these last couple of years goes to show women's basketball is valued. . [28], On April 17, 2020, the New York Liberty selected Ionescu with the first overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft. [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]. About. Ionescu was one of the top college basketball players in the country starting in her very first college season. 4 Stanford. . But everything comes to a halt when the NCAA announces a complete shutdown of winter and spring championships. Sabrina Ionescu has been in the spotlight since she was a teenager. Wife And Net Worth Revealed. As a senior, Ionescu averaged 17.5 points per game, 9.1 assists, and 8.6 rebounds. They had heard the language at home throughout their lives. Dan, Sabrina's father: [The twins] always felt comfort with each other. 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. He noted that attendance at Oregon women's games had dramatically increased during Ionescu's career at the school. [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. Interested shoppers can easily buy them . And so for days on end, I didn't use my right hand once. 706k Followers, 336 Following, 107 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i) sabrina_i. We couldn't hear ourselves, we couldn't hear our coach, just because of how many fans were there. I didn't even look at the papers because I thought he just wanted me to hold them. Why is she not starting?" Sabrina Ionescu WNBA Stats | Basketball-Reference.com Sabrina Ionescu Pronunciation: \yo-NESS-coo\ Sabrina Ionescu Twitter : sabrina_i20 Instagram: sabrina_i Position: Guard Shoots: Right 5-11 , 165lb (180cm, 74kg) More player info 1x All Star 20 20 SUMMARY Career G 69 PTS 15.0 TRB 6.3 AST 6.1 FG% 40.2 FG3% 33.1 FT% 92.7 eFG% 48.7 PER She was born to proud and supportive parents, Dan Ionescu and Liliana Blaj. And so he starts bawling, and then I start crying. Sabrina Ionescu brother, Edward, is also a basketball player. The WNBA. [1] However, believing that she had "unfinished business" at Oregon, she chose to come back for her senior season. 1 pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft to the Liberty. 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. NBA stars like Steph Curry and Kobe Bryant take notice of Sabrina's game. Related Accounts. Stanley, Read More Stanley Wilson Jr Wife Was He Married? They just cheered for the team and cheered for Sabrina. ', The mind, body and soul of the WWE's Charlotte Flair, Bam Adebayo is the fiercest, best NBA player you don't know. She completed her high school education in Miramonte, California, before attending the University of Oregon in Oregon. Eddy: At that time, I didn't know or she didn't know whether she was gonna leave for the WNBA. 1 in the WNBA Draft a year later.. That was in May 2020, a time in which she sat atop the basketball world as the NCAA's . Sabrina: I could tell Eddy was really nervous. During that time, her father's wife was Liliana Blaj, who was living apart from her only husband. In a November exhibition game, she has 30 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds to lead the Ducks to a stunning 93-86 victory over the U.S. women's national team, which features her heroes and soon-to-be WNBA peers like Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. She then averaged 19.7 points per game in her sophomore season to go with 7.8 assists and 6.7 rebounds, and then 19.9 points per game, 8.2 assists, and 7.4 rebounds in her junior year. [10] Ionescu also made a first half buzzer beating shot from half court. "You just see it's a little bit different in her preparation, in her focus, in her manner," he says. Sagittarius . So I just remember, I said, "I'm going to stay." Graves' remarks about Ionescu's future iconic status at Oregon proved to be prophetic. But when she was a kid, she and her twin brother, Eddy Ionescu, would channel the future Oregon Duck's on-court flair for a far less righteous end goal. She is also the all-time leader in assists (769), steals (549) and triple-doubles (21). Sabrina Ionescu- Professional Life, Career, Awards Playing people for money, for Slurpees, whatever it was. Tyrese Haliburton Sister, Who Are His Siblings? Required fields are marked *. [citation needed], Ionescu was the No. [Laughs], Seattle or Eugene? She responded by recruiting enough girls to enable her school to have a team. I think he's her lock screen right now actually. I applaud her. With her darting moves, pinpoint passes and. When they were kids, the two used to even hustle older men on the basketball court so that they could get money for Slurpees. She has a twin brother named Eddy who played basketball at City College of San Francisco. Eddy: It helped us grow into the people we are, and then we know that we always have each other to fall back on. Sabrina Ionescu was born on 6th December 1997 and grew up in Walnut Creek, California, to her Romanian-American parents. She is the daughter of Romanian-American parents. Inhale, exhale. She hadn't yet rewritten the standard for her peers while inspiring the generation to come. And so we'd play him in H-O-R-S-E, two-on-two, one-on-one. Additionally, she would receive her bachelor's degree that June. 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. Death Cause And Mental Health, Katrina Gorry Partner Clara Markstedt Is A Soccer Player Children and Age Revealed, Aaron Nesmith Brother Eddie Nesmith, Parents Girlfriend And Instagram, Demetress Bell Wife Is He Married? Eddy: One of my favorite memories of Sabrina and I growing up was just going to the park. 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. 707K followers. Watching it now, like, wow, a lot of my dreams have become a reality. 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. She always wanted to learn and to go to every game she could -- college, NBA, WNBA. 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. Sabrina had her share of failures, and I think that's probably the most powerful thing a coach can give a player is the struggle. Small and stubborn, she willed her game to improve. Sabrina Ionescu's Family Background Explored. I do thorough research before writing and am always up-to-date on new technologies. [40] She played her first game with the Liberty on July 25. Her twin is Edward Ionescu also referred to as Eddy. I remember we were neck and neck with this one team. As a fresher in high school, she recorded an average . [3], On November 13, 2016, Ionescu made her collegiate debut for Oregon, recording 11 points in an 8467 win over Lamar. Id play H-O-R-S-E, collect the money, Slurpees. 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 . Holly Andres for ESPN. [27] Ionescu finished the game with 31 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and a steal. After two years at the City College of San Francisco, Eddy transfers to Oregon, and he and Sabrina become roommates. Katrina, Read More Katrina Gorry Partner Clara Markstedt Is A Soccer Player Children and Age RevealedContinue, Aaron Nesmith brother name is Eddie Nesmith. They upset No. Follow. She is just driven differently. Joki was a Pilipino motorbike enthusiast who, Read More Joki Octaviano Accident And Cause Of Death How Did He Die? That's all I said. But then I got to know her, of course, and just know she's so competitive and always wants to win. 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.