Ducks Digest

Oregon Women's Basketball's Sabrina Ionescu Shares Special Moment with Young Fan

Sabrina Ionescu has carried her success from Oregon into the WNBA for the past few seasons. Besides the points and WNBA All-Star appearances, Ioenescu is also a fan favorite, with a Saturday interaction exemplifying her stardom.
Kaleb Henry|
May 23, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) looks to drive past Chicago Sky guard Marina Mabrey (4) in the first quarter at Barclays Center.
May 23, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) looks to drive past Chicago Sky guard Marina Mabrey (4) in the first quarter at Barclays Center. | Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

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New York LibertyWashington Mystics

Sabrina Ionescu continues to be a fan favorite.

The former Oregon Duck has carved out a solid career in the WBNA. A member of the New York Liberty since being taken with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 WNBA Draft, Ionescu has made the past two All-Star games.

Former Duck Sabrina Ionescu, center, joins the Oregon women's basketball team for a group photos after their exhibition vs. Southern Oregon at Oregon at Matthew Knight Arena Oct. 29, 2023 in Eugene, Oregon.
Former Duck Sabrina Ionescu, center, joins the Oregon women's basketball team for a group photos after their exhibition vs. Southern Oregon at Oregon at Matthew Knight Arena Oct. 29, 2023 in Eugene, Oregon. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA

Ahead of New York's game against the Washington Mystics at the Barclays Center, Ionescu shared a special moment with a young fan. Captured by a New York City reporter, the little girl and Ionescu were exchanging thumbs up gestures until the two-time All-WNBA player invited the girl onto the floor for a high five that turned into a hug.

The little girl then bounced back to the seats with a smile and memory to last a lifetime.

Ioenescu went on to score a game-high 24 points in a 90-79 win.

While in Eugene, Ionescu became the first player, male or female, in NCAA history with 2,000 career points, 1,000 career rebounds, and 1,000 career assists. This season, she is averaging 17.4 points a game and has the Liberty out to a solid start with a 6-2 record.

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Kaleb Henry
KALEB HENRY

Kaleb Henry is an award-winning sports reporter, covering collegiate athletics since 2014 via radio, podcasting, and digital journalism. His experience with Big Ten Conference teams goes back more than a decade, including time covering programs such as the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oregon Ducks, and USC Trojans.He has contributed to Sports Illustrated since 2021. Kaleb has won multiple awards for his sports coverage from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association. Prior to working in sports journalism, Kaleb was a Division I athlete on the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Track and Field team.

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