Early Life and Education of Sabrina Ionescu: A Complete Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of Sabrina Ionescu, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

Sabrina Ionescu is a prominent American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty in the WNBA. Known for her exceptional three-point shooting, she is celebrated as one of the greatest in this skill. A three-time WNBA All-Star and All-WNBA Team honoree, Ionescu has also achieved Olympic gold medal success with the United States national team, solidifying her status as a leading figure in women's basketball.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1989: Father's Escape from Romania

Around the time of the 1989 Romanian Revolution, Sabrina Ionescu's father, Dan Ionescu, escaped communist Romania to seek political asylum in the United States.

1995: Family Reunification in the US

In 1995, Sabrina Ionescu's mother, Liliana Blaj, and brother, Andrei, were able to move to the United States to join her father, Dan Ionescu, who had settled in Northern California.

December 6, 1997: Sabrina Ionescu's Birth

On December 6, 1997, Sabrina Elaine Ionescu was born. She is now known as an American professional basketball player in the WNBA.

Others born on this day/year

2012: Freshman Season

In 2012, as a freshman, Sabrina 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: Sophomore Season

In 2013, as a sophomore, Ionescu helped her team achieve a 30–2 record.

November 2015: College Decision Delay

In November 2015, during the early signing period, Sabrina Ionescu did not sign a National Letter of Intent with any school, indicating the difficulty of her college choice.

April 2016: College Decision Delay

In April 2016, during the late signing period, Sabrina Ionescu still had not signed a National Letter of Intent with any school.

2018: Twin Brother's College Basketball

In 2018, Sabrina Ionescu's twin brother, Eddy, played basketball at the City College of San Francisco before transferring to Oregon.

2019: Return for Senior Season

In 2019, Sabrina Ionescu chose to return to Oregon for her senior season, believing she had "unfinished business" despite being eligible for the WNBA draft.

2019: Brother Joins Oregon Ducks

In 2019-20, Sabrina Ionescu's twin brother, Eddy, walked on to the Oregon Ducks men's basketball team after being solely a student in the 2018-19 school year.

2019: Ionescu Interview with The Washington Post

In a 2019 interview with Ava Wallace of The Washington Post, Sabrina Ionescu discussed how playing alongside boys and older girls in her childhood shaped her skill set.