It's like, we're in for something special tonight. 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. If they would see something scary, a dog or something, they would reach at each other's hands, not at our hands as parents. But she went to a middle school that didn't have enough players to field a girls team, and when she attempted to try out for the boys' team, she was prohibited. Show More Posts from sabrina_i. However, these rumors are entirely false, and she is not gay. Later that month, Ionescu, Auriemma and Taurasi are among the eight people to speak at the Los Angeles memorial honoring Kobe and Gigi Bryant. With 2.6 seconds left, Sabrina misses the front end of a one-and-one that would have tied and perhaps won the game. Sabrina: Obviously that was tough. I played 1-on-1, collect the money, Slurpees. Seven years later, Ionescu and her twin brother, Eddy, were born. Ionescu's Oregon Ducks also won the Pac-12 championship for the first time since 2000. Id play H-O-R-S-E, collect the money, Slurpees. She wants to win a national championship. 7 overall pick to draft sharp-shooter Stephen Curry from Davidson College. In the historic game against Stanford, Ionescu made NCAA history. They make it to the Elite Eight again before falling to eventual champion Notre Dame. Your email address will not be published. I gained a lot of experience playing on my brothers' 10-foot hoop. And we were going against the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft by the New York Liberty. I was like, "I just don't know. At first he was a little skeptical. 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." Playing basketball with her older brother, Andrei, and her twin brother, Eddy, had taught her the joy of clawing for every rebound, every point. 4 Stanford. 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. "There won't be another group like this ever.". Sabrina and her brother are both "fairly fluent" in Romanian. It allowed me to push her more than I could push any other player to be great. Sabrina has 24 hours after the conclusion of her season to decide whether to declare for the 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. Edward, born on December 6, 1997, is only 18 minutes older than his sister. You just see it's a little bit different in her preparation, in her focus, in her manner. 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. Eddy: I remember we went straight to the gym afterward, just started throwing free throws for hours. [Her parents] never questioned anything. 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? Born in Walnut Creek, CA #6. No posts yet. And so for days on end, I didn't use my right hand once. Sabrina Ionescu makes WNBA single-season history New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu made history Saturday night, becoming the first WNBA player to eclipse 500 points, 200 rebounds and 2.. I mean, we still called each other every night and he knew all about what I was going through. 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." 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. A lot of the Pac-12 schools, just 'cause I knew I kind of wanted to stay closer to home. Sabrina Ionescu and brother Eddy are born on Dec. 6, 1997, to Romanian immigrant parents in Walnut Creek, California. [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. 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. Like Ionescu - who used to hustle grown men for Slurpee money alongside her twin brother - Taurasi is deeply, almost scarily competitive. Children Age And Net Worth, Joki Octaviano Accident And Cause Of Death How Did He Die? how dedicated I was to playing the game. She was born to Romanian-American parents, Dan Lonescu and Liliana Blaj. Eddy: One of my favorite memories of Sabrina and I growing up was just going to the park. Her twin is Edward Ionescu also referred to as Eddy. Sabrina Ionescu and brother Eddy are born on Dec. 6, 1997, to Romanian immigrant parents in Walnut Creek, California. The WNBA. Tyrese Haliburton Sister, Who Are His Siblings? Her two brothers are. Sopak: The biggest challenge she has now is overcoming losing. [27] Ionescu finished the game with 31 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and a steal. Forward Ruthy Hebard bought into her best friend's mission of changing the culture at Oregon. Sabrina Ionescu and her father Dan Ionescu (Source: OregonLive) Her soon-to-be favorite player entered the league in 2009, when the Warriors used the No. She recalled, "My middle school said I should be playing with dolls. In late April 2018, Ionescu and Oregon teammates Erin Boley, Otiona Gildon, and Ruthy Hebard entered the USA Basketball women's national 3x3 championship tournament at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Ionescu has been in a relationship with her boyfriend, Hroniss Grasu, for a long time. Everyone was so much faster and quicker. Eddy: We competed in everything. Seriously, word-for-word." That was the only thing he said, and I was like, "All right." Sabrina makes an immediate impact, including 24 points and 12 rebounds in a 69-55 win against defending state champion Archbishop Mitty. Her father, Dan, once met Luka Dukich, an Executive director for Chicago Bulls, while he was driving Uber in San Francisco. Her first language was Romanian, which she used when playing with her brother in basketball games. She is clearly in a happy relationship with Grasu and is excited to take the next step in their journey together. She has two brothers: twin brother Edward and another Andrei Ionescu. Carlos Serrao for ESPN. March 28, 2020. They broke down the game, and then. [33][34] Payton personally congratulated Ionescu on the achievement. 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. Ionescus impressive performances throughout college included one Pac-12 record, two less than the NCAA record, and four triple-doubles. Kelly Sopak, Sabrina's AAU and high school coach: She eventually just showed up at tryouts. Required fields are marked *. 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. It's the Ducks' first trip to Storrs, where 11 national championship banners hang in the legendary arena. It was definitely tough. When she's losing a game, you do not talk to her. [53], Ionescu is engaged to former Oregon football player and Las Vegas Raiders center Hroniss Grasu.[54]. I think he's her lock screen right now actually. Additionally, she was awarded the USBWA National Freshman of the Year presented by the United States Basketball Writers Association. Geno Auriemma, UConn coach: When she was a freshman, we overwhelmed them. 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. . Graves: I think Sabrina in New York, if that's the way it works out, is a match made in heaven. View more on Instagram. She received the 2019 John R. Wooden Award and both the 2018 and 2019 Nancy Lieberman Award. Ionescu was born to Romanian-American parents in Walnut Creek, California. Earlier in the season, Sabrina watched the video her father took of her young self making that Toastmasters speech about her basketball dreams. Sabrina Ionescu was born on 6th December 1997 and grew up in Walnut Creek, California, to her Romanian-American parents. 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. Sabrina has 2 siblings: a twin brother, Edward, who was born 18 minutes after her, and an older brother, Andrei. Dan, Sabrina's father:[The twins] always felt comfort with each other. Being able to grow up, have the same friends, play the same sports and do everything together is really fun. His sister, Sabrina, is a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) professional). He first played college basketball at City College of San Francisco, per Oregons team site. It was also the first Liberty triple-double, as well as the tenth in league history. 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. She is the daughter of Romanian-American parents. 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. Sabrina Ionescu is ready for a full season in the WNBA after an injury-shortened rookie year. This team is based in Brooklyn and is well-known in the WNBA. Carlos Serrao for ESPN. On November 6, 2018, Ionescu recorded her 11th triple-double in a victory against Alaska-Fairbanks. 1 pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft to the Liberty. 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. [Laughs], Seattle or Eugene? I figured out ways to write poems about basketball the entire year. Sabrina Ionescu's brother Eddy Ionescu is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty. " (I'm) impressed with her rebounding," Quigley said. Playing him was not always easy, but I do improve because he's harder to play. You just walk away, you mind your own business. Later, he was transferred to Oregon Ducks and played for them like his sister. Her mother is Liliana Blaj and she has a twin brother Edward ("Eddy"). She brought one of Kobe's books into the locker room, and we all looked at it. Sabrina: That's all I talked about. 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. After two years at the City College of San Francisco, Eddy transfers to Oregon, and he and Sabrina become roommates. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. She then joined the City College of San Francisco but later transferred to the University of Oregon. 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). She debuted for Oregon in November 2016, scoring 11 points in a win over Lamar. 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. She has her eye on a matchup with Diana Taurasi, who is widely considered the league's GOAT. Sabrina makes college visits but doesn't make a decision about which one she'll attend until just before the summer 2016 term begins. Despite having only played for three seasons at this point, Ionescu was eligible for the 2019 WNBA draft by age. And that fourth quarter, we just didn't shoot the ball well. Miramonte goes 119-9 during Sabrina's tenure, and she sets the school record with 2,606 points. Holly Andres for ESPN. [10] Ionescu also made a first half buzzer beating shot from half court. Christie Hemm Klok for ESPN. Those are probably my two favorite players. [43][44] In the end, though, she did not play again for the remainder of her first professional season. By 50. If he won, we'd play again. Sabrina Ionescu- Professional Life, Career, Awards While we wait and wonder about what will be, we reflect on the moments and milestones that have already been. [37][38] Ionescu also won her second straight Naismith College Player of the Year award, Wade Trophy, Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year award, and USBWA Women's National Player of the Year award. There is no related content available. Dan: Here's one thing that I've learned through the years with Sabrina. Regardless, if I had to be home for dinner at 8, we'd play 'til 9, until I would win, and then I'd be like, "All right, we can go home now.". His sister, Sabrina, is a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) professional). Parents Ethnicity And Girlfriend, Was Karl Malone Arrested For Rape Allegations? New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu Sets Multiple WNBA Records in Historic Game Among the first was her friend Vanessa. Athlete #20 @nike 24 2. About. It was tough being there and it was tough having to play a top-five matchup right after that. And that was it. Sabrina: I showered, I had some food. Sabrina: It tore me apart. Sabrina: Work ethic and dedication, I learned that from my parents. And All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu is feeling as healthy and energized as she has since she joined the Liberty as the No. Sabrina Ionescu and her twin brother, Eddy, have always shared a special bond that was strengthened by their shared love of basketball. For over six years, the family was separated. Oregon coach Kelly Graves has developed a sense for nights when his star will get a triple-double. Indeed her legacy at Oregon had already been written. Yeah, she doesn't miss free throws very often anymore. Sabrina is known for her exceptional skills and accomplishments in college and professional basketball. Basketball fans are more curious to know is Sabrina Ionescu gay or not. [16] Ionescu became NCAA women's all-time leader in triple-doubles,[17] trailing only former BYU men's player Kyle Collinsworth (with 12) among all NCAA players.[18]. Watching movies, drawing, and painting are some of my favorite things to do in my leisure time. ", 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. She averaged 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, ranking second on the team in scoring and rebounding, and first in assists. "Sabrina Ionescu - Forbes 30 Under 30 Profile". Maybe that's what drives her. Her father's name is Dan Ionescu who fled Communist Romania around the time of the 1989 revolution. 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. Graves: She commands and demands and deserves the respect that she's been given. She was named the winner of the Nancy Lieberman Award as the top Division I women's point guard after the season,[15] and was also a finalist for the Naismith Award. Graves: I didn't know who had her ear, quite frankly. You could really see how invested everyone was. They just cheered for the team and cheered for Sabrina. [13], Ionescu rose to national prominence in her sophomore year, she led the Ducks to their third regular-season league crown all-time and first-ever No. Ionescu was born in Walnut Creek, California, to Romanian-American parents. During that time, her father's wife was Liliana Blaj, who was living apart from her only husband. [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]. However, that's quite a pull, you know? Ionescu told Insider she thinks she should be a rookie again this year, but the WNBA disagrees. From here on out, really, everything's gonna be for him and what he taught me. She posted a triple-double in the championship game loss to Chaminade with 24 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. Graves: She takes it to heart. Growing up, they'd even speak in. Wife And Net Worth Revealed. 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 In his redshirt junior season at Oregon in 2019-20, Eddy first appeared on Dec. 7, 2019 against Hawaii and had one assist. She's not the biggest, quickest, fastest, strongest. The Ducks had a lot of success with Ionescu too. And I was like, "I'm by the hotel here." 1 ranked point guard and No. "You just see it's a little bit different in her preparation, in her focus, in her manner," he says. As a result, she became the youngest player in WNBA history to achieve a triple-double. Sabrina Elaine Ionescu is an American basketball . Sabrina Ionescu gets nervous. 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. Too nervous to sleep. 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. I just showed up. Furthermore, Ionescu and her team finished as the Northern California Section Division II runner-up team. And so I had to learn how to use the ball screens and all the frustration that comes with that. I know on one Instagram post she kind of talked about, you know, "I let my basketball do the cooking," or whatever the case. 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. It's Oregon's first triple-double since 1988. Dan: In middle school, they had no girls team to speak of, but they had a boys team. [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. His parents, tefan and Mariana Grasu, migrated from Romania to the USA in 1982. Graves: She claims that she thought I cried. Just like his sister, Eddy also plays college basketball for the Oregon Ducks. Kobe was helping her with that because he saw it in her. I had this poem book, and we had to write poems for an entire year. Sabrina Ionescu Net Worth. It's awesome to be part of a team that has accomplished that. 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. I went to Stanford. [1] 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 points, 1,000 assists, and 1,000 rebounds in a career.[2]. So I didn't post anything. There'd be fights. "Swear to God, we . Eddy: Sabrina doesn't really like to follow the way regular people do it. But everything comes to a halt when the NCAA announces a complete shutdown of winter and spring championships. If we ever needed a player, I would just look at Sabrina. [3], On November 13, 2016, Ionescu made her collegiate debut for Oregon, recording 11 points in an 8467 win over Lamar. 336 following. ', The mind, body and soul of the WWE's Charlotte Flair, Bam Adebayo is the fiercest, best NBA player you don't know. Hroniss Grasu and Sabrina Ionescu are a Lovely Couple. The Ducks then went 31-2 in 2019-20 with Ionescu. She fell short of another triple-double with 16 points, 12 assists and 9 rebounds in the game but recorded her 2,012 career points and 810 career assists. We print the highest quality ionescu t-shirts on the internet Additionally, she would receive her bachelor's degree that June. [12] According to Ava Wallace of The Washington Post, Ionescu chose Oregon "because she wanted to be the all-American at Oregon, not just an all-American somewhere else." After they went 23-14 in 2016-17, Oregon went 33-5 in 2017-18 and 2018-19. First Name Sabrina #9. Sabrina Ionescu is the first NCAA player EVER with 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds! Ionescu comes close to another triple-double with 10 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. It was part introduction and part prophecy. 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 was named Pac-12 Freshman of Week four times and was named USBWA National Player of the Week. Sabrina: Everything that I'm going to do, I'm going to make sure that he stays close. [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. 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. I thought it was, like, freshman duties or something. Sabrina Ionescu brother, Edward, is also a basketball player. She was an Oregon Ducks basketball player in college. 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. The couple recently got engaged on January 20, 2023, and Ionescu even shared a photo from their engagement on her Instagram account. As a freshman at Oregon, she recorded four triple-doubles and was named USBWA National Freshman of the Year. We'd do whatever we could in order to win something. It'd be pretty intense. Parents Age And Net Worth Revealed. Sabrina dedicated her season -- and everything that comes after -- to her mentor, Kobe Bryant. 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 was named the McDonald's All-America game MVP after scoring a record 25 points, including seven three-pointers, with 10 rebounds. Sabrina: I don't really think I grasped what it would be like. Rob Herring Wife name is Nicola Herring and they are living a happily married life. Likewise, she attended Miramonte High School in Orinda, California. (Photo . I felt her emotional side of it, which is kind of weird to describe. "My Romanian heritage influences my life on a daily basis and is something that I find pride in," she says. They own and run the "Greco's New York Pizzeria," a pizza restaurant located on Hollywood Boulevard. 1 pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft taking place this Friday, April 17. He scored six points per game as a freshman and 9.9 as a sophomore. Liliana Blaj calls her daughter "the hardest self-critic. Like [laughs], why's she yelling at open gym? They were all riled up, and we got a steal, passed it to Sabrina, and she went up for a layup and the guy intentionally fouled her, just pushed her, two hands, in the back. Things were just happening too quickly for them and for her. 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). 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. Because they knew exactly how it was gonna start. 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. Sabrina, at the memorial: If I represented the women's game, Gigi was the future, and Kobe knew it. Eddy: That was probably one of her biggest lows. You know, post their top-fives in Instagram and Twitter and let everyone know. 1 in W.N.B.A. Scoring 26 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds, she became the youngest player in WNBA history to record a triple double. Very indecisive. 1 pick in Friday's WNBA Draft .