Eugene Declares 'Sabrina Ionescu Day' Ahead of New York Liberty Exhibition Game

EUGENE – May 12 is officially Sabrina Ionescu Day in Eugene. Following a practice at Matthew Knight Arena on Sunday, Eugene City Mayor Kaarin Knudson proclaimed May 12 as a day to honor the former Duck and the work she has done to not only uplift the Eugene and University of Oregon community, but the entire sport of basketball.

May 9, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) celebrates after scoring in the second quarter against the Connecticut Sun at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

“A lot of fans in Eugene track back the beginning of their experience as huge fans of women’s basketball to the years that Sabrina was leading that team,” said Knudson. “We just wanted to share the love that people feel for her as a player and for this team. We’re so grateful and so happy to have the Liberty here.”

Since Ionescu departed Oregon for the WNBA, she has continued to give back to Eugene in various ways. Through her foundation, the SI20 Foundation, Ionescu seeks to equip youth from all backgrounds and skill levels with equitable access to sports.

Her foundation goes beyond sports as just physical activity. Ionescu recognizes the lasting impact of being on a team and uses the SI20 Foundation to support programs that build peer connections, leadership, and community engagement. Early partnerships in New York, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and Eugene help strengthen local efforts, with long-term plans to expand globally and provide tools for building inclusive, supportive communities beyond the game.

Former Oregon Duck Sabrina Ionescu, center, applauded clinic coaches after a basketball camp session at Matthew Knight Arena Sunday. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“I never thought that I’d be in a position to have a day named after me,” Ionescu said. “This is pretty special to be able to give back to the University of Oregon. This community has meant so much to me and allowed me to be where I’m at now in my professional career and give back to the next little Sabrina that’s running around here in Eugene.”

Earlier in the day ahead of the announcement, Ionescu and her foundation held a youth basketball camp for the children of Eugene. However, this is far from being the only thing she has done recently to give back to the community.

Back in November, the New York Liberty guard came back to campus where she hosted a food drive just before Oregon’s women’s basketball upset Baylor.

Former Oregon Duck Sabrina Ionescu, center, and her teammates with the New York Liberty gather for a photo after a clinic with area children at Matthew Knight Arena Sunday. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“This community kind of built me into who I am, and was a huge part of my career,” said Ionescu. “So every time I come back, it's just a way for me to continue to give back to the youth in this community, and [I’m] super thankful to be able to do that every single time I come back to Eugene, whether it's through basketball or through other things that we do.”

The proclamation came just a day before Ionescu, along with former Duck Nyara Sabally and the rest of the New York Liberty, take the court at Matthew Knight Arena for an exhibition game against the Toyota Antelopes.

Former Oregon Duck Sabrina Ionescu, left, jokes with her New York Liberty teammate Nyara Sabally during a practice session at Matthew Knight Arena Sunday. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Monday’s exhibition marks a special homecoming for both Ionescu and Nyara Sabally, two of the most decorated players in Oregon women’s basketball history. Returning to the court where they built their legacies, the duo will suit up for the New York Liberty in front of a sold-out crowd filled with familiar faces and Ducks fans who watched their rise.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on Monday, May 12, or as the city of Eugene will now call it, Sabrina Ionescu Day.