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There is an elite group of current NBA players who are Nike athletes with special sneakers; An argument could be made that none of those future Hall of Famers have the best Nike marks on the market right now. There is a clear fact that Sabrina Ionescu, the sniper of the New York Liberty, currently occupies the heavyweight belt.
Ionescu took the hoops world by storm in college and put together one of the greatest amateur careers ever. He was the first player in NCAA history to score 2,000+ points, 1,000+ rebounds and 1,000+ assists; he broke the NCAA triple-double record; he broke the Pac-12 (RIP) all-time assists record… and those are just a handful of his many accomplishments while playing for Phil Knight’s pride and joy, the University of Oregon.
Sabrina has been killing bastards for so long and it’s scary to think that she’s just now entering her prime. She has proven that she belongs in any conversation where elders are discussed, male or female. She also confirmed that after setting the all-time three-point contest record at the WNBA All-Star Weekend in 2023, she will go toe-to-toe with Stephen Curry at this year’s NBA All-Star Weekend.
Ionescu was just 3 points behind Curry in the first NBA vs. WNBA three-point contest, but even a blind man could see that Ionescu was right where she belonged, under the brightest lights, front and center on the basketball court. , which features both a group of arriving women and a group of young women on the way.
“Just to be able to have the first event of this kind and come out here and put on a show, but understanding what it means,” Ionescu said. “I’m excited to change history and be able to do it alongside the best ever.”
It wasn’t just Ionescu’s sweet shot that caught the viewers’ eyes. his shots did too. He wore his Nike Sabrina 1 in a clean Liberty shade.
Several times, Ionescu talked about the idea of Sabrina 1 embodying a story against people who doubted her ability to play basketball, let alone boys, when she was growing up.
Well, disregard he did. With the Sabrina 1s, Nike and Ionescu laid the foundation for a gold mine for his signature line, as they quickly became one of the most popular court shoes in the basketball community.
“Not a women’s basketball shoe or a men’s basketball shoe, just basketball,” Ionescu told ESPN this year when describing the Sabrina 1s. “Being able to tell that story and having people credibly buy into and respect that, I think now is the time to want to push that.”
Everywhere you looked: high school, college, WNBA, NBA, your local basketball gym, you were sure/sure to see most of the legs in different colorways of the Sabrina 1. The model was fifth. played in the sneakers during the 2023-24 NBA season, with players playing a total of 17,209 minutes in outline.
And if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Ionescu and Nike kick it back and run it.
Sabrina and the Swoosh released Ionescu’s second sneaker, the Nike Sabrina 2, as well as a clothing collection in June of this year. Instead of completely overhauling the design, they built on the first silhouette, keeping the same shape, cut and cushion.
“At the center of the collection is the Sabrina 2 signature sneaker, created for players who want to accelerate and cut fast,” the brand said. “Nike’s design teams worked closely with Sabrina to combine the best of the Sabrina 1 with fresh updates that create a sneaker that’s 28 grams lighter and doesn’t sacrifice support, stability or comfort.”
Some of these “fresh upgrades” include a Cushlon 3.0 foam midsole (a first in a Nike Basketball sneaker), a Nike Zoom Air Unit in the forefoot, an updated strap system in the midfoot, and a new “S” inspired pattern that provides multi-directional traction for quick cuts. for Additionally, select colorways will feature mirrored Swooshes, which Nike explains “provide Sabrina for the next generation to see in their shoes.”
From the first glance of Sabrina 2 and even Sabrina 1, it’s obvious where Ionescu’s inspiration comes from. Two sneakers in, and his signature line has drawn early comparisons to Kobe Bryant.
During his storied college career and early years with the Liberty, the Kobes were Ionescu’s go-to sneaker. The fact that Ionescu’s lines are mentioned in the same breath as Binin’s says a lot about the WNBA All-Star’s cultural appeal, but more importantly, that her ability and dedication will lead the women’s game nationally and ultimately globally. to raise the mainstream. compliance. It’s a vision he and Kobe shared.
Ionescu first met Kobe in 2019 when he and his daughter Gigi turned up to watch his Ducks take down the USC Trojans. Soon after, Ionescu developed a close relationship with the Bryant family. Kobe followed him throughout the season, often sending words of encouragement as he continued to write his name in the history books. That summer, Ionescu trained with Gigi and even helped Kobe coach his girls’ team, which Gigi was a part of.
“If I represented the present of the women’s game, Gigi was the future, and Kobe knew it,” Ionescu said during his tribute at Kobe and Gigi’s 2020 Celebration of Life ceremony.
More than four years later, and Ionescu is still “representing the present.” And at only 26 years old, he also represents the future. Think Kobe rocking the #8 for the purple and gold.
“I grew up watching Kobe Bryant play after play, ring after ring, experiencing his greatness without apology,” he recalled. “I wanted to be like him, love every part of the pageant, be the first one in and the last one out, love the craziness, be your best when you don’t feel your best and push others. the people around you at their best. And to wake up and do it again the next day. So I did. Wake up, grind and get better.”
If you see Ionescu walking down the tunnel before a game, scroll through his Instagram feed, or notice his demeanor during interviews, you’ll see a charming personality that everyone around him likes. But beneath that lies a fierce competitor who approaches his craft with the utmost seriousness and focus, with a long list of results to show for it.
As we go to press during the Olympic break, New York Liberty is hitting on all cylinders and has the best record in the W by a comfortable margin. Ionescu is averaging 19.8 points, 6.1 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1 steal in a career-high 33.7 minutes per game.
Ionescu’s influence on the court is undeniable, and his influence off the court is just as powerful. On Sabrina 1 and with the recent release of Sabrina 2, she continues to push boundaries and make waves for those coming after her, like fellow Nike athletes Aja Wilson and Caitlin Clarke; first branded sneakers coming soon.
Ionescu is destined for greatness, all he needs to do is continue to be confident and unapologetic about who he is and what he brings to the table, just like Kobe.
Ionescu is a blessing to the game of basketball and his presence will outlive his playing days just like Kobe.
Once in college, she said Kobe texted her. “Be you. It’s been good enough and it’s going to be good enough.” He wasn’t lying.
“I wanted to be part of the generation that changed basketball for Gigi and her teammates,” Ionescu said in his tribute, “where being born female doesn’t mean being born backwards, where greatness isn’t gendered.”
From his consistently dominating performance to the massive success of Sabrina 1 and now 2, it seems there is no height Ionescu can’t reach. For the younger generation not lucky enough to watch Kobe in real time, just watch as Ionescu, one of his closest mentees, tears apart his opponents with a relentless will to excel.
And in her new Sabrina 2, she’ll look great doing it.
Photos via Getty Images and Nike.
