Sabrina Ionescu Is The New Queen Of The Big Apple

The biggest story in New York basketball isn’t the Knicks or the trio in Brooklyn. The biggest story of the New York basketball scene is Sabrina Ionesecu.

The 23-year-old guard for the New York Liberty is the talk of the town. She’s taken not only the WNBA by storm (no pun intended), but the country as well. What we have is a true superstar to lead the top women’s league in sports for years to come. The hope is she transcends the game, making the WNBA a formidable alternative to the NBA.

Taken with the 1st overall pick in the 2020 Draft, Ionescu was a no-brainer coming out of college. The Walnut Creek, California native attended the University of Oregon. It was there she became the NCAA all-time leader in triple-doubles. Ionescu was awarded the Nancy Lieberman Award ( Women’s Collegiate basketball best Point Guard) 3 consecutive years, a back-to-back winner of the John R. Wooden Award, and won the Naismith Award in 2020.

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While expectations were high for Ionsecu going into the 2021 WNBA season, she was only able to play 2 games in the WNBA bubble due to an ankle injury. Before that injury, Ionescu scored 33 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists in just her 2nd professional game. Needless to say, the hype was real.
This season, we are now witnesses to her true greatness. And she’s been influenced by one of the game’s all-time greats.

Gigi Bryant will always be the Female Mamba. She would have taken the mantle of her father (Kobe) had she and Kobe survived the horrific helicopter crash that took their lives and several others. Ionescu was close to the Bryant family. She trained with Kobe and got close to Gigi. Sabrina even spoke at their memorial at the Staples Center. In a way, the legacy of Kobe and Gigi lives on with Sabrina Ionsecu.

Kobe’s influence on Ionescu is apparent. She’s a clutch player that lives for the big moments. Rest assured that when all is said and done, she’s going to win a few MVPs and titles. And along the way, Ionescu might very well break a few records.

In just six 2021 games, Sabrina has had two games of over 10 assists, has scored in double digits in all, two games over 20 points, and one triple-double, the first in New York Liberty history. In addition, that triple-double was the fastest number of games (and youngest in age) for any player in the WNBA to accomplish the statistical milestone. Oh, and she’s also had one buzzer-beater to seal a victory for New York.

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Make no mistake about it, Sabrina Ionescu has had an impact on not only her team but the league as well. Ratings for the first weekend of the WNBA were up 25 percent. That isn’t just on her, all of the women in the league have put forth the effort to make that happen. However, Ionescu plays a pivotal role. If she’s going to continue this play, increased ratings, and a State Farm commercial,(which she stars along in with Chris Paul) aren’t the only things coming for her and the WNBA.

The future for Sabrina Ionsecu is bright. She’s arguably the most exciting player in the WNBA. A lot of new fans will tune in to see her. A lot of young girls will strive to be her. Most of all, she’s going to carry on the legacy of Kobe and Gigi Bryant on the basketball court.

Image Source: Sarah Stier/ Getty Images