Sabrina Ionescu’s Home Burglary Highlights a Troubling Trend Facing Sports Stars

Details continue to emerge surrounding the burglary at New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu’s Los Angeles home. The former Oregon Ducks star was not present at the time of the break in, but the residence was ransacked, with multiple items stolen, per TMZ Sports.

While the incident is unsettling on its own, it also fits into a broader and increasingly troubling pattern impacting high profile athletes across professional sports. Over the last year, burglars have targeted the homes of well known players, often striking while athletes are away for games, practices, or travel. The trend has raised renewed concerns about privacy, security, and the unique vulnerabilities that athletes have to deal with.

Sabrina Ionescu burglary home los angeles stolen New York Liberty WNBA Patrick Mahomes Travis Kelce Joe Burrow Oregon Ducks | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

For Ionescu, a beloved figure in both the WNBA and the Oregon community, the burglary underscores how off-court challenges are prominent even during the WNBA offseason.

Sabrina Ionescu’s Los Angeles Home Burglarized

Per TMZ Sports, the LAPD responded to Ionescu’s home in the Los Angeles area around 8 p.m. on Monday for a burglary investigation. Two suspects used an unknown tool to smash the glass of the rear door of the property, and NBCLA is reporting they took several handbags worth more than $60,000.

This instance is the latest of a long list of home bulgaries. High-profile incidents involve NFL stars like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Joe Burrow and NBA stars including Bobby Portis, Mike Conley Jr. and Luka Doncic. Ionescu is unfortunately the first WNBA player to have a home burglary reported.

Sep 17, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones (35), guard Sabrina Ionescu (20), and forward Breanna Stewart (30) watch from the bench against the Phoenix Mercury during game two of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The FBI has been investigating the link between some of the crimes, identifying and charging members of a specific Chilean theft ring.

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Sabrina Ionescu’s Lasting Legacy

Also known as the “triple double queen” in Eugene, Ionescu’s impact on Oregon Ducks basketball is unmatched and continues to resonate years after her collegiate career ended. During her time with the Ducks, she rewrote the record books and gained a Ducks fan family.

Ionescu became the first player in NCAA history, women’s or men’s, to surpass 2,000 career points, 1,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists, finishing her Oregon career with 2,562 points, 1,040 rebounds, and 1,091 assists. She was also only the second player in NCAA history, regardless of gender, to record at least 2,000 points and 1,000 assists, joining former Gonzaga star Courtney Vandersloot.

Her legacy is further cemented by her NCAA record 26 career triple doubles, the most ever by any player. That mark more than doubled the previous record of 12, held by BYU’s Kyle Collinsworth from 2012 to 2016. In Eugene, Ionescu was more than a star. She was a transformational figure whose influence elevated the program nationally and left a lasting imprint on Oregon athletics.

Former Duck Sabrina Ionescu wears a disguise for Oregon Bingo at halftime of the Oregon Army women’s game at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene Nov. 16, 2025. | Chris Pietsch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

She recently returned to Eugene in November for a Ducks women's basketball game at Matthew Knight Arena. She fooled everyone with an amusing disguise at the women's basketball game against the Army Black Knights in Eugene.

Next up for Ionescu, she joins the inaugural season of the first-of-its-kind 3x3 league with the best that women's basketball has to offer. The first game in the 2026 season for Ionescu and the Phantom BC will be on Monday, Jan. 6, in Miami, Florida, at 6:15 p.m. PT on TNT and truTV.