The last name to be announced for the debut season of Unrivaled, was none other than the elite New York Liberty guard, Sabrina Ionescu. Ionescu has already established herself as one of the best women’s basketball players in the world and has essentially become one of the premier faces for the WNBA.
She got her start at Miramonte High School as a native of Walnut Creek, California, and from there, she showcased her insane talent, leading her team to an impressive 119–9 record over four years. Her dominance on the court earned her national recognition and paved the way for a stellar collegiate career at the University of Oregon.
At Oregon, Ionescu’s impact was felt across the nation as she was filling up all areas of the stat sheet. She even became the first player in NCAA history, male or female, to accumulate over 2,000 points (2,562), 1,000 rebounds (1,040), and 1,000 assists (1,091) in a career. Her tenure with the Ducks was marked by numerous other accolades, including two John R. Wooden Awards, the Wade Trophy, the Naismith Award, and being named the Associated Press Player of the Year in 2020. Ionescu also holds the NCAA all-time record for career triple-doubles, with 26 to her name. Her superstar status was cemented as soon as she entered the WNBA Draft, as she would be selected first overall by the New York Liberty in the 2020 WNBA Draft.
Ionescu’s professional career began with high expectations due to her ability, but an ankle injury limited her rookie season. She would really break out and make her mark in the 2023 season as she averaged 17.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, setting single-season records for the highest three-point field goal percentage with 44.8% and the most three-pointers made with 128. Her performance was instrumental in leading the Liberty to 32 wins and an appearance in the WNBA Finals. 2024 is the year where Sabrina would capitalize on championships that were missing from her basketball resume. During the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, she was instrumental in securing the U.S. women’s basketball team’s eighth consecutive gold medal and her first gold medal with a 67–66 victory over France in the final. Later in the year, Ionescu played a pivotal role in leading the New York Liberty to their first WNBA championship. Despite facing some shooting challenges in the Finals, including a 1-for-19 performance in the decisive Game 5, her leadership and resilience were present in bringing the WNBA Finals championship to New York.
I’m ecstatic to see her in this format because she can do any and everything on the floor at a tremendously high level. She can read any defense and deliver any type of pass thanks to her exceptional court vision. She’s a threat to score from anywhere on the floor. As a guard that stands at 5 feet 11 inches, she adeptly plays both guard positions so she can play off or on the ball. Ionescu is from that “mamba mentality” tree and it shows with how smart and tenacious she plays for every minute of the game and that’s something that’s going to be hard to stop during this competition.
