History of Sabrina Ionescu in Timeline
Sabrina Ionescu is a prominent American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty in the WNBA. Recognized as one of the league's premier three-point shooters, she has significantly contributed to elevating the visibility and popularity of women's basketball. Her exceptional skills and impact on the sport have solidified her status as a key figure in the WNBA.
1989: Father's Escape from Romania
Around the time of the 1989 revolution, Sabrina Ionescu's father, Dan Ionescu, escaped communist Romania seeking political asylum in the United States, marking a significant event in his life and the family's history.
1995: Family's Relocation to the US
In 1995, Sabrina Ionescu's mother, Liliana Blaj, and her brother Andrei were able to move to the US, joining her father who had previously sought political asylum. At the time, Dan owned a limousine service in Northern California.
December 6, 1997: Sabrina Ionescu's Birth
On December 6, 1997, Sabrina Elaine Ionescu was born. She is now known as a professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the WNBA and is considered one of the greatest three-point shooters in WNBA history.
2000: Oregon Won Pac-12 Championship
Oregon also won the Pac-12 championship for the first time since 2000.
2012: Freshman Season
As a freshman in 2012–13, Sabrina 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: Sophomore Season
In 2013–14, as a sophomore, Ionescu contributed to her team's impressive 30–2 record, showcasing her growing impact on the court.
2013: Single-Season Scoring Record
Ionescu had 598 points in the 2013–14 season, which was one of the top three single-season scoring records at Miramonte.
2014: Single-Season Scoring Record
Ionescu had 760 points in the 2014–15 season, which was one of the top three single-season scoring records at Miramonte.
November 2015: Did Not Sign Letter of Intent
In November 2015, during the early signing period, Ionescu did not sign a National Letter of Intent with any school, indicating the difficulty she had in making a college choice.
2015: Single-Season Scoring Record
Ionescu had 834 points in the 2015–16 season, which was one of the top three single-season scoring records at Miramonte.
April 2016: Delayed College Commitment
In April 2016, during the late signing period, Ionescu still had not signed a National Letter of Intent with any school, further highlighting the challenge she faced in choosing a college.
November 13, 2016: Collegiate Debut for Oregon
On November 13, 2016, Sabrina Ionescu made her collegiate debut for Oregon, contributing 11 points in an 84–67 victory over Lamar, marking the beginning of her college basketball career.
February 26, 2018: Named ESPNW Player of the Week
On February 26, 2018, Sabrina Ionescu was named ESPNW's college basketball player of the week, recognizing her outstanding performance and contribution to college basketball.
April 2018: Ionescu Wins USA Basketball 3x3 Championship
In late April 2018, Sabrina Ionescu and her Oregon teammates won the USA Basketball women's national 3x3 championship tournament. Ionescu was named tournament MVP, leading her team to an undefeated record.
November 6, 2018: Recorded Eleventh Triple-Double
On November 6, 2018, Sabrina Ionescu recorded her 11th triple-double in a victory against Alaska-Fairbanks, further solidifying her reputation as a versatile player.
December 20, 2018: Broke NCAA Triple-Double Record
On December 20, 2018, Sabrina 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's Attendance at Oregon
In 2018, Sabrina Ionescu's twin brother Eddy played basketball at the City College of San Francisco before transferring to Oregon where he was solely a student.
January 2019: Projected as a Top WNBA Pick
In January 2019, an ESPN mock draft suggested Sabrina Ionescu was a possible top pick for the WNBA draft, should she declare.
April 6, 2019: Announced Return to Oregon
On April 6, 2019, the day after Oregon's loss to Baylor in the Final Four, Sabrina Ionescu announced she would return to Oregon for her senior season in an open letter published in The Players' Tribune.
November 13, 2019: Surpassed 2,000 Points and 800 Assists
On November 13, 2019, in the second game of her senior season, Sabrina Ionescu surpassed the 2,000 points and 800 assists mark for her college career with a win over Utah State.
December 2019: Turned 22
Sabrina Ionescu turned 22 in December 2019, making her eligible to declare for the 2019 WNBA draft.
2019: Returned to Oregon for Senior Season
Despite eligibility for the 2019 WNBA draft, Sabrina Ionescu chose to return to Oregon for her senior season, citing "unfinished business" and enrolling in a master's program.
2019: Comparison to Marcus Mariota
In 2019, Ducks coach Kelly Graves said Ionescu had "a chance to be a Marcus Mariota, that level of player and an esteemed Oregon Duck when it's all said and done."
2019: Brother Joins Oregon Basketball Team
In 2019-20, Sabrina Ionescu's twin brother Eddy walked on to the Ducks men’s basketball team, after being solely a student in the prior year.
2019: Interview with The Washington Post
In a 2019 interview with Ava Wallace of The Washington Post, Sabrina Ionescu admitted to being a "natural scorer", but attributed most of her skill set to playing alongside both boys and older girls in her childhood.
2019: Led Ducks to First Final Four Appearance
In the 2019 NCAA Tournament, Sabrina Ionescu led the Ducks to their first Final Four appearance after a victory over Mississippi State, marking a significant achievement for the team.
2019: Earned Diploma
Sabrina Ionescu earned her diploma in 2019 and is considered one of the four greatest Ducks ever, standing alongside greats like Marcus Mariota and Steve Prefontaine.
January 24, 2020: Broke Pac-12 All-Time Assist Record
On January 24, 2020, in a game against Oregon State, Sabrina Ionescu broke Gary Payton's Pac-12 all-time record of 938 assists, with Payton congratulating her personally.
February 14, 2020: Recorded 1,000th Career Assist
On February 14, 2020, in a game against #7 UCLA, Sabrina Ionescu recorded her 1,000th career assist, joining Courtney Vandersloot as the only players in NCAA history with 2,000+ points and 1,000+ assists.
February 24, 2020: Ionescu Speaks 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: Named Honda Sports Award Winner
On April 14, 2020, Sabrina Ionescu was named the winner of the Honda Sports Award as the best collegiate female basketball player in the nation.
April 17, 2020: Ionescu Drafted First Overall
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 milestone in her career.
2020: Selected First Overall in WNBA Draft
In 2020, Ionescu, regarded as one of the greatest collegiate players, 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
Shortly after the premature end of her senior season in 2020, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the university polled fans on social media to name the four Oregon alumni they would put on a national Mount Rushmore for the university.
May 18, 2021: Ionescu Records First Professional Triple-Double
On May 18, 2021, Sabrina Ionescu achieved her first professional triple-double in her 6th career game, scoring 26 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. She became the fastest player in WNBA history to record a triple double and earned the first Liberty triple-double.
July 6, 2022: Ionescu Achieves 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 another significant achievement in her career.
November 11, 2022: Ionescu Joins Oregon as Director of Athletic Culture
On November 11, 2022, Sabrina Ionescu returned to her alma mater, the University of Oregon, as the director of athletic culture.
November 14, 2022: Ionescu Ranked in Forbes 30 Under 30
On November 14, 2022, Sabrina Ionescu was recognized in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Sports.
2022: Won Gold Medal at FIBA World Cup
In 2022, Sabrina Ionescu won a gold medal with the United States women's national basketball team at the FIBA World Cup, showcasing her talent on a global stage.
2022: Inauguration of Sabrina Ionescu Showcase
Since 2022, Sabrina Ionescu has hosted the Sabrina Ionescu Showcase for girls basketball teams in the Bay Area, fostering young talent and promoting the sport.
July 14, 2023: Ionescu Sets WNBA Three-Point Contest Record
On July 14, 2023, Sabrina Ionescu set a new WNBA record in the Three-Point Contest with 37 points, surpassing all previous scores in WNBA history.
September 1, 2023: Release of Nike Sabrina 1's
On September 1, 2023, the Nike Sabrina 1's, Sabrina Ionescu's first signature shoe, were released.
2023: Liberty Advance to WNBA Finals
In 2023, Sabrina Ionescu and the Liberty advanced to the WNBA Finals, but were defeated by the Las Vegas Aces 3 games to 1.
2023: Broke WNBA Records
In 2023, Sabrina Ionescu broke the WNBA single-season record in three-pointers and the WNBA Three-Point Contest record solidifying her reputation as an exceptional shooter.
February 17, 2024: Ionescu Competes Against Stephen Curry
On February 17, 2024, Sabrina Ionescu participated in a three-point contest against Stephen Curry during the NBA All-Star Weekend, scoring 26 points to Curry's 29.
March 10, 2024: Ionescu Marries Hroniss Grasu
On March 10, 2024, Sabrina Ionescu married Hroniss Grasu, an NFL center and former University of Oregon football player, also of Romanian-American descent.
June 2024: Ionescu Named to US Olympic Team
In June 2024, Sabrina Ionescu was selected to represent the United States in women's basketball at the 2024 Summer Olympics in France.
December 23, 2024: Ionescu Joins 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, and signed with Phantom BC, joining her former college teammate, Satou Sabally.
2024: Liberty Win First Championship
In 2024, Sabrina Ionescu and the Liberty faced the Minnesota Lynx, ultimately winning the series and securing the franchise's first championship. In game 3, Ionescu scored the game-winning three-pointer to give the Liberty a 2-1 series lead. She contributed leading Liberty with 8 assists and 7 rebounds in the fifth game, helping the team win its first championship in the history of the franchise.
2024: Competed against Stephen Curry in NBA All-Star Weekend
In 2024, Sabrina Ionescu gained global acclaim after competing against Stephen Curry in the first NBA vs. WNBA three-point contest at the NBA All-Star Weekend, marking a unique and high-profile event in her career.
2024: Ionescu Declines Three-Point Contest Invitation
In 2024, Sabrina Ionescu was invited to participate in the three-point contest, but she declined the offer.
2024: Won Gold Medal at Summer Olympics
In 2024, Sabrina Ionescu won a gold medal with the United States women's national basketball team at the Summer Olympics, adding an international achievement to her career.
2024: Debut of Nike Sabrina 2
In the summer of 2024, Sabrina Ionescu's second signature shoe with Nike, the Sabrina 2, was released.
July 16, 2025: Ionescu Announced for 2025 Three-Point Contest
On July 16, 2025, it was announced that Sabrina Ionescu would be a contestant in the 2025 three-point contest.
2025: Inaugural Season of Unrivaled
In 2025, Sabrina Ionescu played in the inaugural season of Unrivaled, the women's 3-on-3 basketball league.
2025: Stats current through end of 2025 season
Throughout 2025 season Sabrina Ionescu achieved new milestones. Stats current through end of 2025 season
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