History of Sabrina Ionescu in Timeline
Sabrina Ionescu is a prominent American professional basketball player currently playing for the New York Liberty in the WNBA. She's recognized as one of the best three-point shooters in WNBA history. Ionescu is also credited with increasing the overall popularity and visibility of women's basketball.
2 days ago : Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally Injuries Sideline Them for Liberty's Portland Game
Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally are sidelined due to injuries, impacting the Liberty's game and Ionescu's Oregon homecoming. Final injury report questions their participation against the Fire.
1989: Father escaped communist Romania
Around the time of the 1989 Romanian Revolution, Ionescu's father, Dan Ionescu, escaped communist Romania to seek political asylum in the United States.
1995: Family moved to the US
In 1995, Ionescu's mother and brother were able to move to the US to join her father.
December 6, 1997: Sabrina Ionescu's Birth
On December 6, 1997, Sabrina Elaine Ionescu was born. She is now a professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the WNBA.
2000: Oregon also won the Pac-12 championship
In 2018, Oregon also won the Pac-12 championship for the first time since 2000, marking a significant achievement for the team and highlighting Ionescu's impact.
2012: Freshman year of high school
In 2012, as a freshman, Ionescu started 14 of 29 games and averaged 13.8 points, 3.9 assists and 3.9 steals per game, contributing to her team's 27-3 record and a Northern California Section Division II runner-up finish.
2013: Career Records
By 2013, Ionescu had already set impressive records, including leading in assists, steals, and triple-doubles, along with top single-season scoring records, showcasing her exceptional talent early in her career.
2013: Sophomore year of high school
In 2013, as a sophomore, Ionescu helped her team achieve a 30-2 record, marking another successful season in her high school career.
2014: Career Records
By 2014, Ionescu had already set impressive records, including leading in assists, steals, and triple-doubles, along with top single-season scoring records, showcasing her exceptional talent early in her career.
November 2015: Difficulty making a college choice
In November 2015, Ionescu had not signed a National Letter of Intent with any school during the early signing period, indicating the difficulty she faced in making a college choice.
2015: Career Records
By 2015, Ionescu had already set impressive records, including leading in assists, steals, and triple-doubles, along with top single-season scoring records, showcasing her exceptional talent early in her career.
April 2016: Difficulty making a college choice
In April 2016, Ionescu had still not signed a National Letter of Intent with any school during the late period, highlighting the ongoing challenges in her college selection process.
November 13, 2016: Collegiate Debut for Oregon
On November 13, 2016, Sabrina Ionescu made her collegiate debut for Oregon, scoring 11 points in an 84-67 victory over Lamar, marking the beginning of her college basketball career.
February 26, 2018: ESPNW's college basketball player of the week
On February 26, 2018, Ionescu was named ESPNW's college basketball player of the week, recognizing her outstanding performance and contribution to college basketball.
April 2018: USA Basketball 3x3 Championship
In late April 2018, Sabrina Ionescu and her Oregon teammates participated in the USA Basketball women's national 3x3 championship tournament, where they won the championship and she was named tournament MVP.
November 6, 2018: Recorded 11th triple-double
On November 6, 2018, Ionescu recorded her 11th triple-double in a victory against Alaska-Fairbanks.
December 20, 2018: Broke the NCAA triple-double record
On December 20, 2018, Ionescu recorded her 13th triple-double in a game against Air Force, breaking the NCAA triple-double record for both men's and women's basketball.
2018: Brother in college
In 2018, Ionescu's twin brother, Eddy, was solely a student at Oregon.
January 2019: Possible top pick in WNBA draft
In January 2019, ESPN's mock draft indicated that Ionescu was a possible top pick should she declare for the WNBA draft.
April 6, 2019: Announced return to Oregon
On April 6, 2019, Ionescu announced in The Players' Tribune that she would return to Oregon for her senior season, foregoing the 2019 WNBA draft.
November 13, 2019: Surpassed 2,000 points and 800 assists
On November 13, 2019, Ionescu surpassed the 2,000 points and 800 assists mark for her college career in a win over Utah State, solidifying her position as a top player.
December 2019: Eligible to declare for the 2019 WNBA draft
In December 2019, Ionescu turned 22 and became eligible to declare for the 2019 WNBA draft.
2019: Earned her diploma
In 2019, Sabrina Elaine Ionescu earned her diploma, marking an important milestone in her academic journey.
2019: Chose to return for her senior season
In 2019, despite being eligible for the WNBA draft, Ionescu chose to return to Oregon for her senior season, believing she had "unfinished business" at the university.
2019: Increased attendance at Oregon women's games
In 2019, during Ionescu's career at Oregon, attendance at women's games dramatically increased, showcasing her impact on the program's popularity.
2019: Brother joined the Ducks men's basketball team
In 2019-20 school year, Ionescu's twin brother, Eddy, walked on to the Ducks men's basketball team.
2019: Ionescu Interview with The Washington Post
In a 2019 interview with The Washington Post, Ionescu admitted to being a "natural scorer", but said that most of the rest of her skill set came from playing alongside both boys and older girls in her childhood.
2019: First Final Four appearance
In the 2019 NCAA Tournament, Ionescu led the Ducks to their first Final Four appearance after a victory over Mississippi State, showcasing her leadership and skills on the court.
January 24, 2020: Broke Pac-12 all-time record of 938 assists
On January 24, 2020, Ionescu broke Gary Payton's Pac-12 all-time record of 938 assists in a game against Oregon State, with Payton personally congratulating her on the achievement.
February 14, 2020: Recorded 1,000th career assist
On February 14, 2020, Ionescu recorded her 1,000th career assist in a game against UCLA, joining Courtney Vandersloot as the only players in NCAA history with 2,000+ points and 1,000+ assists.
February 24, 2020: Spoke at Kobe & Gianna Bryant Celebration of Life
On February 24, 2020, Sabrina Ionescu spoke at the Kobe & Gianna Bryant Celebration of Life at the Staples Center, reflecting her close relationship with Kobe Bryant.
April 14, 2020: Winner of the Honda Sports Award
On April 14, 2020, Ionescu was named the winner of the Honda Sports Award as the best collegiate female basketball player in the nation.
April 17, 2020: Drafted #1 Overall by New York Liberty
On April 17, 2020, Sabrina Ionescu was selected by the New York Liberty as the first overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft, marking a significant career milestone.
2020: Selected first overall in the WNBA draft
In 2020, Ionescu was selected first overall by the New York Liberty in the WNBA draft, marking a significant milestone in her career.
2020: Fan poll on Oregon's Mount Rushmore
In 2020, the university polled fans on social media to name four Oregon alumni for a national Mount Rushmore, and Ionescu was among the top choices.
May 18, 2021: First Professional Triple-Double
On May 18, 2021, Ionescu achieved her first professional triple-double in her 6th career game, recording 26 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds, becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to achieve this milestone. It was also the first Liberty triple-double and the tenth in league history.
July 6, 2022: First 30-Point Triple-Double in WNBA History
On July 6, 2022, Sabrina Ionescu recorded the first 30-point triple-double in WNBA history with 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, marking a significant achievement.
November 11, 2022: Director of Athletic Culture at Oregon
On November 11, 2022, Sabrina Ionescu rejoined her alma mater, Oregon, as the director of athletic culture.
November 14, 2022: Ranked in Forbes 30 Under 30
On November 14, 2022, Sabrina Ionescu was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Sports.
2022: Won gold medals with the United States women's national basketball team
In 2022, Ionescu won gold medals with the United States women's national basketball team at the FIBA World Cup.
2022: Sabrina Ionescu Showcase
Since 2022, Sabrina Ionescu has hosted the Sabrina Ionescu Showcase for girls basketball teams in the Bay Area, often held at Carondolet High School.
July 14, 2023: WNBA Three-Point Contest Record
On July 14, 2023, Ionescu set a WNBA record by scoring 37 points in the Three-Point Contest, making 25 of her final 27 shots.
September 1, 2023: Release of Nike Sabrina 1's
On September 1, 2023, Nike released the Sabrina 1's, Ionescu's first signature shoe.
2023: WNBA Finals Appearance
In 2023, Ionescu and the Liberty advanced to the WNBA Finals, where they were defeated by the Las Vegas Aces 3 games to 1.
2023: WNBA single-season record in three-pointers
In 2023, Ionescu broke the WNBA single-season record in three-pointers and the WNBA Three-Point Contest record.
February 17, 2024: Three-Point Contest Against Stephen Curry
On February 17, 2024, Sabrina Ionescu competed against Stephen Curry in a three-point contest during the NBA All-Star Weekend, scoring 26 points to Curry's 29.
March 10, 2024: Marriage to Hroniss Grasu
On March 10, 2024, Sabrina Ionescu married NFL center Hroniss Grasu, also a Romanian-American and former University of Oregon football player.
June 2024: Named to US Olympic Team
In June 2024, Sabrina Ionescu was named to the US women's Olympic team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in France.
December 23, 2024: Signing with Unrivaled League
On December 23, 2024, Sabrina Ionescu was announced as the final roster spot for the inaugural 2025 season of Unrivaled, the women’s 3-on-3 basketball league, signing with Phantom BC alongside her former college teammate, Satou Sabally.
2024: WNBA Finals Appearance and First Championship
In 2024, Ionescu and the Liberty advanced to the WNBA Finals against the Minnesota Lynx. In game 3 Ionescu scored the game-winning three-pointer. Despite a difficult shooting night in game 5, Ionescu contributed 8 assists and 7 rebounds, helping the team secure its first championship in franchise history.
2024: Competed against Stephen Curry in NBA vs. WNBA three-point contest
In 2024, Ionescu gained global acclaim after competing against Stephen Curry in the first NBA vs. WNBA three-point contest at the NBA All-Star Weekend.
2024: Won gold medals with the United States women's national basketball team
In 2024, Ionescu won gold medals with the United States women's national basketball team at the Summer Olympics.
2024: Declined Three-Point Contest Invitation
In 2024, Sabrina Ionescu declined an invitation to participate in a three-point contest.
2024: Debut of Nike Sabrina 2
In the summer of 2024, Ionescu's second signature shoe with Nike, the Sabrina 2, was released.
July 16, 2025: Announced as 2025 Three-Point Contestant
On July 16, 2025, Sabrina Ionescu was announced as a contestant for the 2025 three-point contest.
December 15, 2025: Home Burglary
On December 15, 2025, Sabrina Ionescu and her husband experienced a burglary at their California home.
2025: Inaugural Season of Unrivaled League
In 2025, Sabrina Ionescu was expected to participate in the inaugural season of Unrivaled, the women’s 3-on-3 basketball league.
2025: Stats current through end of 2025 season
Stats are current through the end of the 2025 season.
2026: Launch of YouTube Channel
In 2026, Sabrina Ionescu launched her own YouTube channel, joining a small number of WNBA players with personal channels.
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