- NY Liberty takes Ionescu as the top pick last night
- The former Oregon Ducks’ guard is the all-time leading in triple-doubles in the NCAA history, holds multiple other records.
- Two more Ducks’ players in the top ten, Liberty had five choices among the first 15 picks.
- Liberty had five picks in first 15 choices
- Ionescu signed a lucrative endorsement deal with Nike after the draft.
Sabrina Ionescu, the 22-year old college sensation, will wear New York Liberty uniform in the upcoming seasons. One of the best college players ever was selected first at the WNBA draft last night, triggering a new era for the franchise from the Big Apple.
Ionescu’s Fantastic College Career
The hype surrounding Ionescu’s arrival to the league was enormous and it started since the middle of her college career. It is no wonder why the entire contingent of her Liberty uniforms was sold out in one hour following her selection. The situation here could be compared to Zion Williamson‘s once he came to the NBA.
“I’ve been working for this for my entire basketball career and super excited to see that come to fruition,” she said. “I’m very humbled and excited for the opportunity.”
Ionescu set numerous records during her college career. She is the all-time leader in the number of triple-doubles with 26 of them, and is the only college player in both male and female competition with 2,000 points scored and 1,000 boards and assists posted. During the previous year, she led the Oregon Ducks to a 31-2 record, averaging 17.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 9.1 assists. The Ducks were the No.2 in the final AP Poll before the suspension of the season, and Ionescu received the NCAA player of the year honors recently.
Besides the 22-year old point guard, two more Duck’s players were in the top ten, Satou Sabally (Dallas Wings 2nd pick), and Ruthy Hebard (Chicago Sky 8th).
Liberty Hoping to Become a Powerhouse
Liberty on the other side had two more first-round picks and also added first and the third selection in the second round. For them, this might be the turning point in the entire franchise history because they received not only Ionescy but a lot of quality players who might make them a top title contender for the years to come. The franchise established in 1997 didn’t win a single championship in its history, even though they played in four big finals. Now they have a chance to change everything.
They are thrilled to have Ionescu with them, and the head coach Walt Hopkins spoke about that following the draft.
“I think you need to look no further than the way that she’s handled herself in times of crisis to know what type of a leader she is,” said Hopkins. “And what type of leader she could be at the next level.”
Later last night, Ionescu and Nike company signed a multiyear endorsement deal. The details of the entire job weren’t revealed, but many believe that it is one of the biggest in WNBA history. The player and the company had multiple connections, from being based in the same state, up to the fact that Ionescu and Nike founder Phil Knight know one another for a long time.
