"Sabrina Ionescu is a prominent American professional basketball player for the WNBA's New York Liberty. Her illustrious college career with the Oregon Ducks saw her achieve numerous accolades, including becoming the NCAA's all-time leader in career triple-doubles. Notably, she is the sole NCAA Division I basketball player to achieve the impressive feat of 2,000 points, 1,000 assists, and 1,000 rebounds in her career."
1989: Dan Ionescu Seeks Asylum
In 1989, Sabrina Ionescu's father, Dan, escaped from communist Romania and sought political asylum in the U.S.
1995: Family Reunites in US
In 1995, Sabrina Ionescu's mother and brother were able to move to the United States and reunite with Dan.
December 6, 1997: Birth
Sabrina Ionescu was born on December 6, 1997.
2000: Pac-12 Championship Win
In 2000, the University of Oregon women's basketball team won the Pac-12 championship.
2012: Freshman Year of High School
During her freshman year of high school in 2012, Sabrina Ionescu averaged 13.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.9 steals per game.
2013: High School Scoring Record
During her sophomore year in 2013, Ionescu scored 598 points, which was a single-season scoring record at Miramonte High School.
2013: Sophomore Year of High School
Sabrina Ionescu helped her high school basketball team to a 30-2 record during her sophomore season in 2013.
2014: High School Scoring Record
During her junior year in 2014, Ionescu scored 760 points, a new single-season scoring record at Miramonte High School.
November 2015: Early Signing Period
The early signing period for basketball recruits in Ionescu's class was in November 2015.
2015: High School Scoring Record
During her senior year in 2015, Ionescu scored 834 points, a new single-season scoring record at Miramonte High School.
April 2016: Late Signing Period
The late signing period for basketball recruits in Ionescu's class was in April 2016.
November 13, 2016: Collegiate Debut
On November 13, 2016, Ionescu made her debut for the University of Oregon women's basketball team, scoring 11 points and defeating Lamar.
February 26, 2018: ESPNW Player of the Week
On February 26, 2018, Sabrina Ionescu was named ESPNW's college basketball player of the week.
April 2018: 3x3 Basketball Success
In April 2018, Ionescu participated in and won the USA Basketball women's national 3x3 championship, earning MVP honors. She and her Oregon teammates then represented the US in the 2018 3x3 World Cup, finishing fifth.
November 6, 2018: 11th Career Triple-Double
On November 6, 2018, Ionescu recorded her 11th career triple-double in a game against Alaska-Fairbanks.
December 20, 2018: NCAA Triple-Double Record
On December 20, 2018, Ionescu recorded her 13th triple-double, breaking the NCAA men's and women's basketball record.
2018: Eddy Ionescu Attends Oregon
In 2018, Sabrina's twin brother Eddy became a student at the University of Oregon.
January 2019: Projected as a Top Pick
A mock draft in January 2019 projected Ionescu as a potential top pick in the WNBA draft if she chose to declare.
April 6, 2019: Decision to Return for Senior Season
On April 6, 2019, Ionescu announced her decision to return to Oregon for her senior season, forgoing the WNBA draft despite being projected as a potential top pick.
November 13, 2019: 2,000 Points and 800 Assists
On November 13, 2019, Sabrina Ionescu surpassed 2,000 points and 800 assists in her college career during a game against Utah State.
December 2019: Turning 22
Sabrina Ionescu turned 22 in December 2019, making her eligible for the 2019 WNBA draft.
2019: NCAA Final Four Appearance
In 2019, Sabrina Ionescu led the Oregon Ducks to their first Final Four appearance in the NCAA tournament.
2019: Interview with The Washington Post
In 2019, Sabrina Ionescu gave an interview with Ava Wallace of The Washington Post about her basketball skills development.
2019: Eddy Ionescu Joins Basketball Team
In 2019, Eddy Ionescu walked on to the University of Oregon men's basketball team.
2019: Rising Stardom and Increased Attendance
During 2019, Ducks coach Kelly Graves compared Ionescu's potential impact on Oregon to that of Marcus Mariota. Notably, attendance at Oregon women's games increased significantly during Ionescu's time at the university.
2019: Considered One of Oregon's Greatest
By 2019, despite having just graduated, Sabrina Ionescu was already considered by fans as one of the four greatest Ducks ever, alongside prominent figures like Marcus Mariota, Steve Prefontaine, and Phil Knight.
2019: Returns for Senior Season
In 2019, Ionescu announced her decision to return to the University of Oregon for her senior year and pursue a master's degree.
January 24, 2020: Breaking Gary Payton's Assist Record
Sabrina Ionescu broke Oregon State and NBA star Gary Payton's Pac-12 all-time assist record of 938 on January 24, 2020, during a game against Oregon State.
February 14, 2020: 1,000 Career Assists
Ionescu achieved her 1,000th career assist on February 14, 2020, during a game against UCLA, joining Courtney Vandersloot as the only players in NCAA basketball history (men's and women's) with at least 2,000 points and 1,000 assists.
February 24, 2020: Kobe & Gianna Bryant Celebration of Life
On February 24, 2020, Sabrina Ionescu spoke at the Kobe & Gianna Bryant Celebration of Life, a testament to her close relationship with the late basketball star Kobe Bryant, with whom she had trained.
April 14, 2020: Honda Sports Award and National Player of the Year Awards
On April 14, 2020, Ionescu received the Honda Sports Award for the best female collegiate basketball player. She also won several National Player of the Year awards, including the AP Player of the Year, Naismith College Player of the Year, USBWA National Player of the Year, John R. Wooden Award, and the Wade Trophy. Ionescu also received the Nancy Lieberman award for the third consecutive season.
April 17, 2020: Drafted by the New York Liberty
The New York Liberty selected Sabrina Ionescu as the first overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft on April 17, 2020.
2020: NCAA Tournament Cancellation
The 2020 NCAA tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Oregon's Mount Rushmore
Following the end of Ionescu's senior season in 2020, a fan poll suggested the four most iconic Oregon alumni for a notional Mount Rushmore. Ionescu was among the top choices, alongside Marcus Mariota, Steve Prefontaine, and Phil Knight.
May 18, 2021: First Professional Triple-Double
Ionescu achieved her first professional triple-double on May 18, 2021, becoming the youngest player in WNBA history to do so. This also marked the first triple-double in Liberty franchise history and the tenth in the league's history.
July 6, 2022: First 30-Point Triple-Double in WNBA History
On July 6, 2022, Sabrina Ionescu made history by recording the first 30-point triple-double in WNBA history.
November 11, 2022: Director of Athletic Culture at Oregon
Ionescu returned to her alma mater, the University of Oregon, as the director of athletic culture on November 11, 2022.
November 14, 2022: Forbes 30 Under 30
Sabrina Ionescu was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Sports on November 14, 2022.
2022: Sabrina Ionescu Showcase
Since 2022, Ionescu has been hosting the Sabrina Ionescu Showcase, supporting girls' basketball teams in the Bay Area. Recent events have been held at Carondolet High School and De La Salle.
July 14, 2023: Record-Breaking Three-Point Contest Performance
Ionescu set a new WNBA record in the Three-Point Contest on July 14, 2023, scoring 37 points, surpassing the previous record. It's worth noting that the contest parameters differ between the WNBA and NBA, so records are not directly comparable to Stephen Curry's NBA record of 31 points.
September 1, 2023: Release of Nike Sabrina 1s
On September 1, 2023, Nike released the Sabrina 1s, Ionescu's first signature shoe, as part of her endorsement deal with Nike.
February 17, 2024: 3-Point Contest against Stephen Curry
Sabrina Ionescu competed against Stephen Curry in a 3-point contest during the NBA All-Star Weekend on February 17, 2024, shooting at the same distance but with a smaller ball. She scored 26 points to Curry's 29.
May 2024: Announcement of Sabrina 2s
In May 2024, Nike announced the upcoming release of the Sabrina 2, Ionescu's second signature shoe, which is 28 grams lighter than the Sabrina 1.
June 28, 2024: Release of Nike Sabrina 2s
Nike is scheduled to release Sabrina Ionescu's second signature shoe, the Sabrina 2, on June 28, 2024. This new model is designed to be lighter than her previous signature shoe.