What Sabrina Ionescu Can Learn From New Liberty HC
It has been well documented that New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors share a friendship on and off the court. Having such similarities in their games, especially with their shooting abilities, makes sense why the two would be connected.
Ionescu said during the 2024 Finals that Curry has been a mentor for her throughout the season.
"Just being able to pick his brain, talk to him about certain things that I see on the floor and how he's been able to kind of counter that," Ionescu said. "He's always supported me and been there for me to ask questions, and just that mentorship from him means the world to me."
Sabrina Ionescu on the advice and mentorship she receives from Steph Curry. 🤝 #WNBAFinals pic.twitter.com/kl90mklS4U
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) October 18, 2024
The two shooters also went head-to-head in a 3-Point Contest during All-Star Saturday night in 2024.
Curry has been wearing Ionescu’s sneakers this season. He talked about how he is wearing them not only because they are great sneakers but also in support of his friend.
"They're great shoes. Obviously, I like her. I like her story. The friendship. The whole deal," Curry said. "I love being able to support her out on the court. I'll wear different stuff, but it's always a great honor knowing that the relationship that we have."
Chris DeMarco Named Liberty Head Coach
Former long-time Golden State Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco will become the next coach of the New York Liberty.
Ionescu reached out to Curry to ask about her new coach. DeMarco was on those NBA championship teams with Curry, watching firsthand all the work the greatest shooter ever puts in. That knowledge can be passed on to the woman who might be the WNBA equivalent, and DeMarco already sees similarities in Curry and Ionescu.
“The comparisons are interesting. I get it. She can shoot the heck out of the ball. She’s a very smart playmaker. Where I compare them is just their focus. I’d say what makes them most alike is just their focus on the game of basketball. And it really is elite,” DeMarco said of his star guard via John Torenli of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
Ionescu is using this offseason to heal from some injuries she suffered during the 2025 season. The new schedule probably won't be favorable for the 2024 champions. The team played five games in the Finals, then went into a new season that was scheduled for more games than the previous one.
This resulted in a shorter offseason, not getting the rest they needed to prepare for the 44-game season, which is another aspect DeMarco can help the team as a whole adapt to. Being an NBA coach is a highly demanding job with all the traveling.
Ionescu has another level she can reach as a player. As great a shooter as she is, her 3-point percentage took a big dip last season.
Ionescu shot under 30% for the first time in her WNBA career. She also only shot over 40% for a season once. Learning from DeMarco can help those numbers improve. She could possibly become a 50-40-90 player — the exclusive shooting splits club where a player shoots at least 50% from the field, 40% from the 3-point line and 90% from the free-throw line.
A coach who helped to develop one of the greatest players to ever step on a court should be a big help in the next maturation phase for Ionescu.
_(1)-9ddf60e83acff20ad07c2e0014ab3ca3.jpeg "Jarrett Spence")
Jarrett Spence is a writer for the New York Liberty On SI. Growing up in New York City, he is a big fan of the Liberty and Knicks. Graduating from CUNY- Lehman College, he studied journalism and used his education to start working in the sports industry. His past work can be seen covering the Wizards/Mystics on The Lead, Wizards on FanSided, and general NBA/WNBA news on his own publication, The Stop and Pop on Substack. Some of Jarrett’s favorite memories are the Carmelo Anthony years in New York and the Liberty 2024 championship run.