Her father, Dan Ionescu, fled communist Romania around the time of the 1989 revolution, seeking political asylum in the United States. 707K followers. We couldn't hear ourselves, we couldn't hear our coach, just because of how many fans were there. Her two brothers were a big help in developing her basketball skills. Sopak: The car was packed and they didn't know which direction they were going. The New York Liberty guard, 25, shared on Saturday that she and the Las Vegas Raiders center, 31, are set to wed. "It . His son and wife were unable to relocate to the United States until 1995. Edward has also developed . [23] Since that game on December 20, 2018, Ionescu has added five more triple-doubles for a season total of eight, and has broken the Oregon women's basketball assist record (formerly 608 assists) in a Pac-12 conference game against USC. Christie Hemm Klok for ESPN. [1], Because Ionescu turned 22 in December 2019 she was eligible to declare for the 2019 WNBA draft. Sabrina gets her first collegiate triple-double just seven games into her Oregon career, in a 91-62 victory over San Jose State. They had heard the language at home throughout their lives. I didn't even look at the papers because I thought he just wanted me to hold them. He first played college basketball at City College of San Francisco, per Oregons team site. Nothing is ever given to us now. She was named Pac-12 Freshman of Week four times and was named USBWA National Player of the Week. We were the best shooting team in the country. That same day, Ionescu flies to the Bay Area for a game against Stanford. Later that month, Ionescu, Auriemma and Taurasi are among the eight people to speak at the Los Angeles memorial honoring Kobe and Gigi Bryant. Sabrina: What we've been building these last couple of years goes to show women's basketball is valued. Ionescu also helped lead the Ducks to the Final Four in 2018-19. 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). She is the daughter of Romanian-American parents. Ionescus impressive performances throughout college included one Pac-12 record, two less than the NCAA record, and four triple-doubles. I felt more alone. Seven years later, Ionescu and her twin brother, Eddy, were born. I had to let her be, just because I knew her draft decision was coming up. Sabrina Ionescu is ready for a full season in the WNBA after an injury-shortened rookie year. 1 overall WNBA pick and owns too many UO program records to count. Also Read: Was Karl Malone Arrested For Rape Allegations? 1 seed and a deep run in the postseason, the NCAA halted its tournaments amid the coronavirus pandemic, effectively ending Sabrina's collegiate career. These are things that kids can acquire; they don't have to be born with those things. When I found out Sabrina had a twin brother, Eddy, I immediately knew I wanted to interview them together because they . Too nervous to sleep. [7], Ionescu was four-year varsity basketball letter winner at Miramonte High School in Orinda, California under head coach Kelly Sopak.[8]. That was the only thing he said, and I was like, "All right." Sabrina Ionescu was born on December 6, 1997, in Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, California, United States. I didn't tell anyone. If he won, we'd play again. Graves: We had a chance. Sabrina is a basketball player now engaged with the former American football player Hroniss Grasu. Sabrina Ionescu's brother Eddy Ionescu is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty. . She has her eye on a matchup with Diana Taurasi, who is widely considered the league's GOAT. While we wait and wonder about what will be, we reflect on the moments and milestones that have already been. First Name Sabrina #9. She also posted seven double-doubles, ranked third in the Pac-12 and 29th in the NCAA with 183 assists on the year. You just walk away, you mind your own business. Carlos Serrao for ESPN. Source: Forbes They would compete against older men at the basketball court to win extra . The Ducks had a lot of success with Ionescu too. . 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. Children Age And Net Worth, Joki Octaviano Accident And Cause Of Death How Did He Die? She had 16 double-doubles this season and 14 20-point games. They own and run the "Greco's New York Pizzeria," a pizza restaurant located on Hollywood Boulevard. I went to Stanford. Likewise, she attended Miramonte High School in Orinda, California. Photo by Serena Morones . I figured out ways to write poems about basketball the entire year. She completed her high school education in Miramonte, California, before attending the University of Oregon in Oregon. Bryant narrates a Detail episode praising her physicality, court awareness and midrange game. Taurasi, whose parents came to the U.S. from Argentina, says in an espnW interview that one of the similarities she sees between Ionescu and herself is "an immigrant mindset.". Eddy: I remember we went straight to the gym afterward, just started throwing free throws for hours. [Laughs] I think she learns a lot from them, which is really cool, and she definitely brings back stuff to share with the team. Tyrese Haliburton Sister, Who Are His Siblings? She absolutely killed it that game. We were always so competitive, and I think it's 'cause we were the same age. She embarked on a historic career with the Ducks and eventually became the No. [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. "There won't be another group like this ever.". Sabrina Ionescu is an American basketball star, who plays for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Athlete #20 @nike 24 2. She was born with her twin brother named Edward also called Eddy, who was born only 18 minutes after the birth of Sabrina. Rob Herring Wife name is Nicola Herring and they are living a happily married life. I was like, "Have fun in New York!". Her first language . These shoes will be priced at $170 per pair. 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. Sabrina Ionescu is one of the most highly touted college players to ever get drafted into the WNBA. Ionescus stellar play in college led to her becoming the No. Edward demonstrated his talent through his victories over Utah, Oregon State, and California. Id play P-I-G, collect the money, Slurpees.. As kids, Sabrina Ionescu and her twin brother would hustle old men at basketball courts for 7-Eleven Slurpee money. Her 1.93-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio was second-best in the Pac-12. !#GoDucks . Ionescu left Miramonte with a career winloss record of 1199 and a school-record 2,606 points scored. Sopak: Even though I didn't know until, I think, eight minutes before the deadline, when you step back and look at it, it was like that was the only thing she was going to do, if you know Sabrina. 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. Just like his sister, Eddy also plays college basketball for the Oregon Ducks. Sabrina: We would stay in the park for hours while our parents worked. 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. What high school did Sabrina Ionescu go to? Now, almost a full year later, the 23-year-old New York Liberty superstar thinks she deserves a new rookie . No statistics available for this season. [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. We lost nine games while she was in high school. She brought one of Kobe's books into the locker room, and we all looked at it. Graves: I didn't know who had her ear, quite frankly. Shop ionescu t-shirts created by independent artists from around the globe. 1 defensive team. I gained a lot of experience playing on my brothers' 10-foot hoop. 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. On November 6, 2018, Ionescu recorded her 11th triple-double in a victory against Alaska-Fairbanks. Then he called me and said, "Where are you?" 1 pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft taking place this Friday, April 17. 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. Very indecisive. Hroniss Grasu, Sabrina's partner, is a well-known free agency football center who has experience playing for several clubs, including the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers. And so he starts bawling, and then I start crying. After they went 23-14 in 2016-17, Oregon went 33-5 in 2017-18 and 2018-19. 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). Sopak: The biggest challenge she has now is overcoming losing. On Feb. 3, with so many still in mourning, No. Joki was a Pilipino motorbike enthusiast who, Read More Joki Octaviano Accident And Cause Of Death How Did He Die? Eddy is also a basketball player. In recent years, basketball phenom Sabrina Ionescu has used her talent to lead the Oregon Ducks and become the face of women's college hoops. I try to score, and try to rebound and pass, and just do everything that I can to help the team. [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. 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. "She's a legend in her own right, that's for sure." Cinematography by Monica May; Movement Coaching by Duray Thirdgill; Prop Styling by Dan Jesperson; Production by Amy Ground; Hair & Makeup by Celena Rubin. Her two brothers were a big help in developing her basketball skills. And nothing was ever given to us as kids. She needs to be playing on that kind of a stage. The referee came over, ejected him, and Sabrina just got up and started clapping in his face. Basketball Player Born in California #37. Dan, Sabrina's father: [The twins] always felt comfort with each other. They came here, and they've worked for everything they've gotten and had to work super hard. Reels. She has recorded 10-assist games 13 times this season, handing out a league season-high 14 twice. 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 now I use my left hand more than my right. Just because I knew she tasted how close it was to winning that national championship. We just started in a park, you know? ", "I started to play basketball at the age of 3, though I was just throwing the ball around. Growing up, they'd even speak in. It's Oregon's first triple-double since 1988. Dotun Akintoye on Israel Adesanya as the UFC's next big thing. "My Romanian heritage influences my life on a daily basis and is something that I find pride in," she says. 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. Case Update, Stanley Wilson Jr Wife Was He Married? 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. November 14, 2022 Sabrina Ionescu makes Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Sports. 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. In March, the 31-2 Ducks are poised for a 1-seed and deep run in the NCAA tournament. Kind of like describing Sue [Bird]. The talented professional basketball player Sabrina has been the subject of rumors regarding her sexual orientation. [42], The next season, on May 18, 2021, Ionescu recorded her first professional triple-double. In the NCAA Tournament Final Four, the Ducks lost to the eventual national champion Baylor 7267. Dan: In middle school, they had no girls team to speak of, but they had a boys team. Despite having only played for three seasons at this point, Ionescu was eligible for the 2019 WNBA draft by age. 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). 7 overall pick to draft sharp-shooter Stephen Curry from Davidson College. She's going to play at that level. Ionescu's Oregon Ducks also won the Pac-12 championship for the first time since 2000. 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. With Oregon ranked No. She takes to heart what people say, their comments. Her two brothers are. Sabrina: Everything that I'm going to do, I'm going to make sure that he stays close. [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. Doesn't work. 1 By New York Liberty In WNBA Draft", "Sabrina Ionescu's sneaky way of seeing best friend Ruthy Hebard in the 'wubble', https://wikiodin.com/who-is-sabrina-ionescu-boyfriend-5-things-to-know-about-hroniss-grasu/, Naismith Women's College Player of the Year, USBWA Women's National Player of the Year Award, John R. Wooden Women's Player of the Year Award, Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year, USBWA National Freshman of the Year Award, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sabrina_Ionescu&oldid=1142714116, All-American college women's basketball players, Basketball players at the 2019 Pan American Games, Pan American Games 3x3 basketball players, Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States, Pan American Games medalists in basketball, Sportspeople from Walnut Creek, California, Women's National Basketball Association All-Stars, Women's National Basketball Association first-overall draft picks, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Only NCAA player with career 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds (in women's and men's), This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 00:08. Carlos Serrao for ESPN. However, that's quite a pull, you know? Playing him was not always easy, but I do improve because he's harder to play. 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. Sabrina Ionescu has been in the spotlight since she was a teenager. I did not cry. He just eats, sleeps, loves everything about basketball, which is literally the same thing with her. [41], On August 1, 2020, Ionescu injured her left ankle in the second quarter against the Atlanta Dream. Ionescu was born in Walnut Creek, California, to Romanian-American parents. It was hard. Ionescu's friends and family were excited to congratulate the athlete. "Sabrina Ionescu - Forbes 30 Under 30 Profile". We drove up here, walked in, surprised [coach] Kelly Graves. As the years passed, the game respected her wishes. 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's Family Background Explored. They broke down the game, and then. And so for days on end, I didn't use my right hand once. Like. . [3], On November 13, 2016, Ionescu made her collegiate debut for Oregon, recording 11 points in an 8467 win over Lamar. [40] She played her first game with the Liberty on July 25. [35] On February 14, 2020, Ionescu recorded her 1,000th career assist in a game against #7 UCLA and joined Courtney Vandersloot as the only players in NCAA men's and women's basketball history with 2,000 plus points and 1,000 plus assists. Sabrina makes college visits but doesn't make a decision about which one she'll attend until just before the summer 2016 term begins. The couple used to study at the same college University of Oregon. 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. 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. 4 UConn, the school for which Gigi hoped to play. Her father's name is Dan Ionescu who fled Communist Romania around the time of the 1989 revolution. Sabrina Ionescu. It's the Ducks' first trip to Storrs, where 11 national championship banners hang in the legendary arena. In her senior year, she led Miramonte to the CIF open division title game after averaging 25.3 points, 8.8 assists, 7.6 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. Sabrina is expected to be the No. 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. Ionescu started at Oregon the year after Grasu was drafted. 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. how dedicated I was to playing the game. So I just remember, I said, "I'm going to stay." Things were just happening too quickly for them and for her. He was always super supportive and was like, "Don't worry, keep getting in the gym, keep getting extra shots.". Heading into her junior season, Sabrina has 10 triple-doubles in her career. A lot of the Pac-12 schools, just 'cause I knew I kind of wanted to stay closer to home. Sabrina Ionescu was born on 6th December 1997 and grew up in Walnut Creek, California, to her Romanian-American parents. I definitely loved working with my left hand. If they would see something scary, a dog or something, they would reach at each other's hands, not at our hands as parents. Holly Andres for ESPN. 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. Just like he saw it in me. She's relentless." And then someone told us about a girls club in Orinda [California]. 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." Ruthy Hebard, Sabrina's Oregon teammate and best friend: Right off the bat, she was a leader. 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 Oregon guard Sabrina Ionescu has made a name for herself as one of the best college basketball players. I had this poem book, and we had to write poems for an entire year. I just walked into the locker room and knew we won. 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. 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. Furthermore, Ionescu and her team finished as the Northern California Section Division II runner-up team. Sabrina: I showered, I had some food. Like his sister Sabrina, Edward plays basketball for the NCAA's Oregon Ducks. His vision for others is always bigger than that for themselves. Her name hadn't yet become synonymous with the term "triple-double." She's not the biggest, quickest, fastest, strongest. Sabrina: If we really, really got into it, there'd be blood. 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. NBA stars like Steph Curry and Kobe Bryant take notice of Sabrina's game. I went on a walk and just tried to clear my mind to figure out what I wanted to do. [53], Ionescu is engaged to former Oregon football player and Las Vegas Raiders center Hroniss Grasu.[54]. Hroniss Grasu and Sabrina Ionescu are a Lovely Couple. If. Sabrina: It was between Oregon and Washington, and I had no idea. In 2012, Sabrina and Eddy enroll at Miramonte High School, where Sopak coaches. Dan Ionescu and Liliana Blaj, her proud parents, welcomed her into the world. Ionescu has been in a relationship with her boyfriend, Hroniss Grasu, for a long time. She has 21 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in the third-ranked Ducks' 74-66 win over No. 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 has a twin brother named Eddy Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty dribbles up the court during the second half of a game against the Dallas Wings in 2020. Everyone was so much faster and quicker. As a fresher in high school, she recorded an average . Sabrina: We struggled, and I think we didn't handle adversity very well. Eddy: We competed in everything. [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. Follow. I mean, none of us had been in that position. Someone would cry. Sabrina Ionescu and brother Eddy are born on Dec. 6, 1997, to Romanian immigrant parents in Walnut Creek, California. He has an older brother named Nico, who was a placekicker for Washington State from 2008 to 2010. 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. Everything was fair game. 107 posts. I shot 3-pointers, free throws, everything left-handed. The Ducks make the NCAA tournament for the first time in 12 years, as a 10-seed. 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- Professional Life, Career, Awards I feel like that's definitely something that she'll leave behind, that's going to motivate the younger generation. ", 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. 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. People were crying and just so sad. I'm torn.". They never took anything for granted, especially starting warm-ups. Sabrina Ionescu is a professional basketball player who plays for the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a Point Guard for the New York Liberty. [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. Graves: She commands and demands and deserves the respect that she's been given. (Photo . , Read More Demetress Bell Wife Is He Married? Ionescu's role includes assisting with the development of student . Forward Ruthy Hebard bought into her best friend's mission of changing the culture at Oregon. March 28, 2020. You could really see how invested everyone was. | Julio Aguilar/Getty Images Ionescu actually has a twin brother named Eddy who also plays basketball. I'm kind of a procrastinator, so I let it get to like an hour before I had to decide. Sabrina Ionescu and her twin brother, Eddy, have always shared a special bond that was strengthened by their shared love of basketball. What's next for the prodigious point guard with a penchant for pushing life-altering decisions to the last possible moment? 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]. See All. So I figured that if I could rebound, I would be able to get the ball myself. If we only knew when we could see her play her sport again. My dad had no idea. I was happy that she pushed back. [3] Sabrina was around three years old when she first picked up a basketball. Hebard: She loves Steph Curry. Graves: She takes it to heart. 706k Followers, 336 Following, 107 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i) sabrina_i. His parents, tefan and Mariana Grasu, migrated from Romania to the USA in 1982. 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." New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu Sets Multiple WNBA Records in Historic Game Among the first was her friend Vanessa. She broke the NCAA triple-double record for womens and mens basketball. [47] Ionescu had never before played under FIBA 3x3 rules, admitting after the tournament, "I had to ask the rules before the games started. Taurasi: Maybe your parents don't necessarily speak English really well when you're a kid, and you may have to do some things other kids don't.
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