Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu Makes ESPYs Case
Sabrina Ionescu's triumphant three-pointer for the New York Liberty in Game 3 of last fall's WNBA Finals might be "Minnesota nice" in more ways than one.
Ionescu threw up one of the most thrilling moments on the sports calendar over this past year, as her triple at the end of the Liberty's 80-77 victory over the Minnesota Lynx has already garnered a reputation for being one of the most famous shots in WNBA history. It will forever go down as one of the defining images of the Liberty's first postseason championship run, which ended with an eventual five-game win over the Lynx.
The shot has earned a nomination for "Best Play" at the 2025 ESPY Awards, ESPN's annual athletic gala that recognizes the most astonishing accomplishments on the hardwood, field, ice, and more. Should she prevail, Ionescu won't be able to accept her award in person, as the ESPYs are set to be staged on Wednesday in Los Angeles while the Liberty face the Indiana Fever at home in Brooklyn (7:30 p.m. ET, Fox5/CBSSN).
Ionescu admitted that she wasn't high on her chances of victory but she made her case for the title after nominations were revealed earlier this summer, reasoning that she has the edge because her shot directly produced a championship.
"I'm really taking myself, but, I mean, mine was in the Finals ... Whatever, go me!" Ionescu said with a laugh. "I probably won't win, but it's okay. I think it's obviously really exciting, kind of being able to look back now and understand the gravity of that shot, and how big that one was for us, to be able to win a championship. I'm obviously super excited to even be nominated in the category of of that. Hopefully people go vote, and maybe I have a chance. But regardless, I'm excited."
The ESPYS have often relied upon a fan vote to determine their winners and Ionescu faces stiff competition to emerge victorious. The famed reverse leap of Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, achieved in a November win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, likely stands as the favorite, for example.
Also up for the title is Trinity Rodman's overtime goal for the United States' women's national soccer team against Japan during last summer's Olympics and another game-winner on the hardwood, namely Tyrese Haliburton's epic tally for the Indiana Pacers in the opening game of last month's NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Head coach Sandy Brondello humorously refused to share authorship of the famed shot, reasoning that a Minnesota foul before the shot threw a bit of a wrench into the plans she laid out in the huddle in a preceding timeout.
"It was always just going to be a high-iso and to make a play in one-on-one," Brondello recalled. "We just thought that was the best play at that time in a very grueling, tough series. But how cool is that [nomination]? Because that was an amazing play. Sometimes it's in-between winning the championship or not. They're the moments that are great for Sabrina, great for this organization."
In addition to Ionescu's individual honor, the Liberty as a whole is up for "Best Team" alongside other recent champions like Barkley's Eagles and the University of Connecticut women's college basketball squad. Breanna Stewart, Ionescu's fellow All-Star, is also up for "Best WNBA Player" against Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier and A'ja Wilson.
Geoff Magliocchetti is a veteran sportswriter who contributes to a variety of sites on the "On SI" network. In addition to the Yankees/Mets, Geoff also covers the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, and New York Giants and has previously written about the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Staten Island Yankees, and NASCAR.