Sabrina Ionescu's Nike Sneakers Honor Spike Lee

On Sunday evening, the Minnesota Lynx defeated the New York Liberty 83-71. Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu struggled, shooting 0-6 from behind the arc. However, Ionescu did not miss her with footwear.

Ionescu debuted the Nike Sabrina 3 in a Mars Blackmon-inspired colorway. Best of all, Spike Lee was sitting courtside in the same pair of sneakers. Ionescu and Lee even linked up for a picture to commemorate the moment.

Lee is many things: a legendary director, avid New York sports fan, and one of the most important figures in footwear history. Lee played the role of Mars Blackmon during the early days of Nike and Michael Jordan's Air Jordan marketing campaigns.

Not only was Lee's hilarious portrayal of Mars Blackmon an important part of hoop shoe history, but he gave us one of the best taglines in the history of marketing: "It's gotta be the shoes!"

Lee is synonymous with "MJ" and Jordan Brand, but he is also part of the larger Nike family. The iconic New Yorker has designed countless shoes over the years and is regularly called upon to help debut new kicks at sporting events.

Ionescu's Nike Sabrina 3 "Mars Blackmon" colorway nailed the execution of the design. The silhouette sported a white upper contrasted by a red outsole and details. The Nike Swoosh logos, tongues, and laces are black. Best of all, Mars Blackmon's glasses pop off the tongues in white.

Ionescu debuted her third signature Nike basketball shoe earlier this summer before the WNBA All-Star Game. The Nike Sabrina 3 has already dropped in multiple colorways. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that the "Mars Blackmon" colorway ever hits shelves.

The silver lining is that online shoppers can find the Nike Sabrina 3 in adult ($135) and kid ($100) sizing in multiple colorways and can customize their own colorways ($165) on the Nike website.

The Nike Sabrina 3 is the best performer of Ionescu's already hooper-approved signature sneaker line. It features pleats on the sides with cables for optimal lockdown. Meanwhile, a forefoot Air Zoom unit gives responsive pop and speed on the court.

The midsole has two types of foam: Cushlon 3.0 foam, for a plush underfoot sensation, and a firmer Cushlon foam for stability. Lastly, the multidirectional traction pattern helps hoopers maintain ultimate court feel.

It has been less than a month since the Nike Sabrina 3 launched, and the model is already running circles around the competition. Athletes and fans can expect more exciting developments as Ionescu looks to lead the Liberty back to the WNBA Finals.

Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all of your most important footwear news from the WNBA and beyond.

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