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 achieved significant accolades, including three WNBA All-Star selections and All-WNBA Team honors. In addition to her WNBA success, Ionescu is an Olympic gold medalist as a member of the United States national team.

Sections (4)

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

1989: Father Escapes Communist Romania

Around the time of the 1989 revolution, Sabrina Ionescu's father, Dan Ionescu, escaped communist Romania and sought political asylum in the United States.

1995: Family Reunites in the U.S.

In 1995, Sabrina Ionescu's mother and brother were able to move to the United States to join her father, 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 a professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the WNBA.

Others born on this day/year

2000: Pac-12 Championship Win

In 2018, Oregon won the Pac-12 championship for the first time since 2000, marking a significant achievement.

2012: Freshman Year Statistics

In 2012, as a freshman, 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 Northern California Section Division II runner-up finish.

2013: Sophomore Year Record

In 2013, during her sophomore year, Sabrina Ionescu helped her team achieve a 30-2 record.

2013: Single-Season Scoring Record

In the 2013-14 season, Sabrina Ionescu scored 598 points, setting one of her top three single-season scoring records at Miramonte.

2014: Single-Season Scoring Record

In the 2014-15 season, Sabrina Ionescu scored 760 points, setting one of her top three single-season scoring records at Miramonte.

November 2015: College Choice Difficulty

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

2015: Single-Season Scoring Record

In the 2015-16 season, Sabrina Ionescu scored 834 points, setting one of her top three single-season scoring records at Miramonte.

April 2016: College Choice Difficulty

In April 2016, during the late signing period, Sabrina Ionescu still had difficulty making a college choice and did not sign a National Letter of Intent with any school.

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.

February 26, 2018: 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.

April 2018: Ionescu Wins USA Basketball 3x3 Championship

In late April 2018, Sabrina Ionescu led her team to win the USA Basketball women's national 3x3 championship tournament, remaining unbeaten and earning the tournament MVP award, despite being unfamiliar with FIBA 3x3 rules.

November 6, 2018: Records 11th Triple-Double

On November 6, 2018, Sabrina Ionescu recorded her 11th triple-double in a victory against Alaska-Fairbanks.

December 20, 2018: Breaks 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 at City College of San Francisco

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

January 2019: Possible Top Pick in WNBA Mock Draft

In January 2019, an ESPN mock draft projected Sabrina Ionescu as a potential top pick in the WNBA draft.

April 6, 2019: Announces Return for Senior Season

On April 6, 2019, Sabrina Ionescu announced her decision to return to Oregon for her senior season via The Players' Tribune.

November 13, 2019: Surpasses 2,000 Points and 800 Assists

On November 13, 2019, Sabrina Ionescu surpassed 2,000 points and 800 assists for her college career in a win against Utah State, showcasing her exceptional scoring and playmaking abilities.

December 2019: Turns 22

In December 2019, Sabrina Ionescu turned 22, making her eligible for the 2019 WNBA draft.

2019: Chooses to Return for Senior Season

Despite being eligible 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, Oregon Ducks coach Kelly Graves compared Sabrina Ionescu's potential legacy to that of Marcus Mariota, highlighting her impact on the program.

2019: Earns Diploma

In 2019, Sabrina Ionescu earned her diploma, marking an educational milestone alongside her athletic achievements.

2019: Brother Joins Oregon Team

In 2019, Sabrina Ionescu's twin brother Eddy walked on to the Oregon Ducks men's basketball team.

2019: Ionescu Discusses Skill Set

In a 2019 interview with The Washington Post, Sabrina Ionescu discussed her development as a basketball player, noting that playing with boys and older girls in her childhood helped shape her skill set.

2019: Leads Ducks to First Final Four Appearance

In the 2019 NCAA Tournament, Sabrina Ionescu led the Oregon Ducks to their first Final Four appearance, marking a significant achievement in the program's history.

January 24, 2020: Breaks Pac-12 All-Time Assist Record

On January 24, 2020, Sabrina Ionescu broke Gary Payton's Pac-12 all-time record of 938 assists in a game against Oregon State.

February 14, 2020: Reaches 1,000 Career Assists

On February 14, 2020, Sabrina Ionescu recorded her 1,000th career assist in a game against UCLA, becoming one of only two 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.

April 14, 2020: Wins Honda Sports Award

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: Drafted #1 Overall by New York Liberty

On April 17, 2020, Sabrina Ionescu was selected with the first overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft by the New York Liberty.

August 1, 2020: Ionescu Injured Ankle

On August 1, 2020, Sabrina Ionescu injured her left ankle during a game against the Atlanta Dream and was later diagnosed with a grade 3 sprain, leading to her missing the remainder of her first WNBA season.

2020: Drafted #1 Overall by New York Liberty

In 2020, Sabrina Ionescu was selected first overall by the New York Liberty in the WNBA draft, marking a significant milestone in her career.

2020: Fan Poll for Oregon's Mount Rushmore

In 2020, a university poll asked fans to name the four Oregon alumni for a national Mount Rushmore, with Ionescu being one of the top choices.

May 18, 2021: Ionescu Records First Professional Triple-Double

On May 18, 2021, in her 6th career game, Sabrina Ionescu achieved her first professional triple-double with 26 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds, making her the fastest player in WNBA history to reach this milestone, and marking the first Liberty triple-double.

July 6, 2022: Ionescu Records First 30-Point Triple-Double

On July 6, 2022, Sabrina Ionescu recorded the first 30-point triple-double in WNBA history, scoring 31 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists.

November 11, 2022: Ionescu Joins Oregon as Director of Athletic Culture

On November 11, 2022, Sabrina Ionescu rejoined her alma mater, Oregon, as the director of athletic culture.

November 14, 2022: Ionescu Ranked in Forbes 30 Under 30

On November 14, 2022, Sabrina Ionescu was ranked in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Sports.

2022: Sabrina Ionescu Showcase Inaugurated

Starting in 2022, Sabrina Ionescu has hosted the Sabrina Ionescu Showcase for girls basketball teams in the Bay Area, often at Carondolet High School.

July 14, 2023: Ionescu Sets WNBA Three-Point Contest Record

On July 14, 2023, Sabrina Ionescu scored 37 points in the WNBA Three-Point Contest, setting a new league record.

September 1, 2023: Release of Nike Sabrina 1's

On September 1, 2023, Sabrina Ionescu's first signature shoe, the Nike Sabrina 1's, were released.

NIKE Sabrina 1 Family Bonds Womens FQ3381-001 (Black/Photo Blue-EMERAL), Size 9

Check it on Amazon

2023: Liberty advanced to the WNBA Finals

In 2023, Ionescu and the Liberty advanced to the WNBA Finals but were defeated by the Las Vegas Aces 3 games to 1.

2023: Breaks WNBA Single-Season 3-pointers and Three-Point Contest Record

In 2023, Sabrina Ionescu broke the WNBA single-season record in three-pointers and the WNBA Three-Point Contest record, showcasing her exceptional shooting skills.

February 17, 2024: Ionescu Competes Against Stephen Curry in Three-Point Contest

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: Ionescu Marries Hroniss Grasu

On March 10, 2024, Sabrina Ionescu married NFL center Hroniss Grasu, who is also Romanian-American.

June 2024: Ionescu Named to US Olympic Team and Wins Gold Medal

In June 2024, Sabrina Ionescu was named to the US women's Olympic team and later won her first Olympic gold medal, as the United States defeated France 67–66 in the final.

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, signing with Phantom BC alongside Satou Sabally.