When they were kids, the two used to even hustle older men on the basketball court so that they could get money for Slurpees. Like Ionescu - who used to hustle grown men for Slurpee money alongside her twin brother - Taurasi is deeply, almost scarily competitive. Sabrina Ionescu discusses her viral block and how her team lost pickup Carlos Serrao for ESPN. And so I was like, "All right, well this is my chance, I'm going to say something.". Sabrina's like that to this day. That stuff comes out in you. Sabrina Ionescu is an American professional basketball player signed to the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). I was like, "I just don't know. . In the postgame interview, she calls out ESPN: "It probably still won't get recognized because ESPN never recognizes women's sports. Hebard: I think it's needed. [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. Now, almost a full year later, the 23-year-old New York Liberty superstar thinks she deserves a new rookie . My family has always been there for inspiration to keep pushing and one day become a WNBA player.". Eddy: We competed in everything. It's her 26th career triple-double, and she makes history as the first college basketball player to compile 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists. They make it to the Elite Eight again before falling to eventual champion Notre Dame. 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. National Signing Day passes, and as the only undeclared player in the McDonald's All American game;, she is named MVP after making seven 3-pointers en route to 25 points and 10 rebounds. Christie Hemm Klok for ESPN. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. They used to play football and basketball for college-level games. The well-known WNBA player Sabrina Ionescu's twin brother is Eddy Ionescu. Inside Sabrina Ionescu's relationship with "big brother - RSN 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. Playing people for money, for Slurpees, whatever it was. Likewise, she attended Miramonte High School in Orinda, California. Sabrina Ionescu and her twin brother, Eddy, have always shared a special bond that was strengthened by their shared love of basketball. 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. Her name hadn't yet become synonymous with the term "triple-double." Geno Auriemma, UConn coach: When she was a freshman, we overwhelmed them. Lying in her bed, wrapped in her gray blankets, she'll try to meditate. November 14, 2022 Sabrina Ionescu makes Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Sports. Being able to grow up, have the same friends, play the same sports and do everything together is really fun. Sabrina: I remember I was in the front yard with Eddy, and he was like, "My left hand's better than yours." I think she has a chance to really change the game and the way the game is viewed by everybody. Eddy: We were together when she made that decision. 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]. And nothing was ever given to us as kids. The couple recently got engaged on January 20, 2023, and Ionescu even shared a photo from their engagement on her Instagram account. Sabrina was around three years old when she first picked up a basketball. If. His son and wife were unable to relocate to the United States until 1995. 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. Eddy: One of my favorite memories of Sabrina and I growing up was just going to the park. He was always super supportive and was like, "Don't worry, keep getting in the gym, keep getting extra shots.". Sabrina: Work ethic and dedication, I learned that from my parents. Produced by Nancy Devaney and Emma Reed. The junior is a brilliant mentor in the University of Oregon community, a strong Christian, a . 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. She did believe every word she wrote [in her speech when she was 12]. 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 has no clue, and we're trying to talk about the pros and the cons. We let Oregon down in some way, because we had such high expectations for ourselves. She debuted for Oregon in November 2016, scoring 11 points in a win over Lamar. College basketball star Sabrina Ionescu and her twin brother hustled 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.. Seven years later, Ionescu and her twin brother, Eddy, were born. We just started in a park, you know? 1 in the preseason Top 25, the spotlight on Sabrina is brighter than ever. Sabrina Ionescu brother, Edward, is also a basketball player. "Not many . It motivates her to go back and practice more from learning from her mistakes. Photo by Serena Morones . Edited by Sam Nicodemo and Warren Wolcott. Parents Age And Net Worth RevealedContinue, Your email address will not be published. She posted a triple-double in the championship game loss to Chaminade with 24 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. Sabrina: I just don't really like to be out there like that. Sabrina Ionescu Twin Brother, Parents, Professional Career, Net Worth Those are probably my two favorite players. For Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu, roots led to stardom Children Age And Net Worth, Joki Octaviano Accident And Cause Of Death How Did He Die? 707K followers. I'm torn.". Eddy Ionescu, Sabrina's twin brother, was born just 18 minutes after her in 1997. 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. Graves: I didn't know who had her ear, quite frankly. When she's losing a game, you do not talk to her. Hebard: I think it's just amazing to see what she accomplishes because she works so hard, and then, like, triple-doubles, that's such a big thing. Her father, Dan Ionescu, fled communist Romania around the time of the 1989 revolution, seeking political asylum in the United States. [33][34] Payton personally congratulated Ionescu on the achievement. [50], * 2020 NCAA tournament canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic, Ionescu is a Christian. Is the twin brother of Duck women's basketball superstar Sabrina Ionescu, who was the 2019 Wooden Award and Wade Trophy winner and holds the NCAA career triple-double record for both men and women . Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i) Instagram photos and videos 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. 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. Very indecisive. She then joined the City College of San Francisco but later transferred to the University of Oregon. I really don't know if Sabrina cares about winning. 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. [42], The next season, on May 18, 2021, Ionescu recorded her first professional triple-double. 6 Oregon women's basketball past No. She received the 2019 John R. Wooden Award and both the 2018 and 2019 Nancy Lieberman Award. I felt her emotional side of it, which is kind of weird to describe. During her first year, she participated in 14 games out of 29 games, scoring 13.8 points, 2.9 steals, and 3.9 assists per game during that season. Everyone's watching us. Her talent hasn't gone. Someone would cry. In his redshirt junior season at Oregon in 2019-20, Eddy first appeared on Dec. 7, 2019 against Hawaii and had one assist. Sabrina Ionescu | Bio, Age, Career, Height, Injury, Boyfriend, Net Worth Sabrina: It was between Oregon and Washington, and I had no idea. Sabrina Ionescu: Rise of Oregon basketball's triple double star Heading into her junior season, Sabrina has 10 triple-doubles in her career. Sabrina Ionescu is 23 years old born on 6th December 1997 in Walnut Creek, California. She embarked on a historic career with the Ducks and eventually became the No. All Ionescu: The ultimate guide to Oregon women's basketball star Sabrina Ionescu, Trailblazers: Women coaches discuss their ascension in the men's league, POY: Ionescu is women's college basketball's player of the year, Athletes' futures: NCAA to discuss granting athletes eligibility relief. Sabrina is 18 minutes older than Eddy. She has a twin brother Edward ("Eddy"), who was born 18 minutes after her. Sabrina's ancestry is Romanian-Caucasian and has a twin brother, Edward. Ionescu was born to Romanian-American parents in Walnut Creek, California. Her father's name is Dan Ionescu who fled Communist Romania around the time of the 1989 revolution. People were crying and just so sad. She's going to play at that level. 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. 5 Fast Facts - Sabrina Ionescu's Twin Brother: Eddy Ionescu [1] However, believing that she had "unfinished business" at Oregon, she chose to come back for her senior season. I just walked into the locker room and knew we won. Things were just happening too quickly for them and for her. As a freshman at Oregon, she recorded four triple-doubles and was named USBWA National Freshman of the Year. I would just have to find ways to impact the game other than shooting or scoring, and that was passing. It was tough being there and it was tough having to play a top-five matchup right after that. Sabrina Ionescu Popularity . 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. His vision for others is always bigger than that for themselves. And so for days on end, I didn't use my right hand once. She has a twin brother named Eddy who played basketball at City College of San Francisco. She's relentless." I was hoping, and I felt like, OK, she's got something to prove and she would like to come back. Sabrina Ionescu | Bio, Career, Parents, Net Worth, Stats and Awards She has played in three games with the Liberty so far. And so he starts bawling, and then I start crying. Ionescus love for the sport started at a young age, as she began playing basketball when she was only three years old. . Additionally, she would receive her bachelor's degree that June. 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. I went to Stanford. The twin brother Edward (Eddy) was born 18 minutes after her. He scored six points per game as a freshman and 9.9 as a sophomore. Sabrina Ionescu: The making of a legend | ESPN Cover Story And that was it. Sopak: The biggest challenge she has now is overcoming losing. It's crazy to see everything come full circle and see how young I was and the dreams that I had and Sabrina: That's all I talked about. Like [laughs], why's she yelling at open gym? Sabrina-Ionescu with her team meat. Sabrina Ionescu Boyfriend Hroniss Grasu and Their - Mixedarticle [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: What we've been building these last couple of years goes to show women's basketball is valued. ', The mind, body and soul of the WWE's Charlotte Flair, Bam Adebayo is the fiercest, best NBA player you don't know. She is just driven differently. NBA stars like Steph Curry and Kobe Bryant take notice of Sabrina's game. 2 Duke en route to an improbable Elite Eight matchup against top-seeded UConn. He has an older brother named Nico, who was a placekicker for Washington State from 2008 to 2010. 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 . These are things that kids can acquire; they don't have to be born with those things.