words, photography and design // Nick DePaula
A year after being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft, SLAM named New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu the “Next Queen of New York” for the magnet. Future release.
Two years after SLAM #231, Sabrina was releasing her signature shoe with Nike, becoming just the 12th player in W League history to own her namesake sneaker, which is both historic, reflective, and forward. was the desire to look.
“I know the numbers. “In 27 years, only 11 players have come before me,” he said after the start. “It’s one of the highest honors in our game and something to be humbled by.
The moment instantly took Ionescu’s star power and influence on the game to another level.
An All-Star and All-WNBA PG in each of the last three seasons, the 3-Point Contest record-setter is again a point-loaded Liberty team that reached the WNBA Finals a year ago and is aiming for it again. the year.
Her debut model broke barriers and saw adoption at all levels of the game, inspiring “anyone, anywhere,” just as she had hoped.
“It’s crazy to think now, but the vision that Nike and I had together has really come to life,” he added.
The momentum surrounding his second sneaker made it one of the most anticipated models of the year. This has resulted in players of all positions, all levels and all backgrounds feeling inspired when they pair up their Sabrinas.
“It’s been something that we’ve been able to see happen, from NBA players to college players and now young guys,” Ionescu said. “They’ll be able to put these shoes on and feel like they can go out and achieve something.”
As the Sabrina entered its fifth season this summer, expectations were justifiably high, and so were expectations for its follow-up shoe, the Nike Sabrina 2 .
Featuring a sleek silhouette along the upper and versatile color blocking options, his second shoe offered both a lighter weight sneaker and a more responsive cushioning platform. On the inside of the first shoe, the recognizable Swoosh placement returns again, slanted upwards through a shattered glass graphic, signifying Sabrina’s barrier-breaking streak.
To highlight her influence on the sneaker and signature shoe business, SLAM teamed up with Nike to create the Sabrina 2, which will be unmistakable on the court and drenched in all things seafoam.
As SLAM celebrates its 30th anniversary and the magazine’s upcoming induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, we partnered with a number of brands to highlight the most memorable jerseys, most influential players and signature sneakers that have made their mark on SLAM over the past three decades. : .
The SLAM x Sabrina 2, which amps up the seafoam shine throughout, features a number of additional details. The heels of each shoe include the SLAM logo with a nod to the 30th anniversary, while the sole also includes our celebratory 30th flag icon.
Swoosh logos are raised throughout, accented by a mirrored finish that speaks to young girls and boys who can be inspired by the shoes and “see themselves” on Sabrina’s path.
“My favorite detail is the swoosh and being able to see my own reflection,” Ionescu said. “I want everyone to see themselves, what they want to create and what they want to dream, to be able to go out and do it in my shoes.”
As SLAM turns the literal page, not only with 30 years of influence and a Hall of Fame induction that cements the legacy of the “Basketball Bible” forever, it’s the future of the game that the magazine is also focused on. about celebrating and highlighting the future.
A future that helps define Sabrina Ionescu. Both through his play and the impact of his signature series with Nike.
“I know what some people might think. “It’s just a shoe…”
“But really,” he continues. “I think a signature shoe like this can help continue to push the game forward for everyone.”
As SLAM celebrates the game’s 30th anniversary, our newest Sabrina 2 collaboration looks forward The futurelinking up with one of the magazine’s iconic cover athletes will no doubt continue to pave the way for the next generation of the game.
