New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu returned to Oregon’s Matthew Knight Arena, where she last played five years ago, and was greeted with a deafening ovation.
Ionescu, a three-time WNBA All-Star, and her Liberty teammate Nyara Sabally, also a former Oregon player, reunited for a preseason game against the Toyota Antelopes of Japan.
This encounter marked the fourth time in the preseason that the WNBA has brought together college fans with their former stars, creating an atmosphere full of nostalgia and celebration.
Ionescu led the scoring with 25 points, including six three-pointers, in the 84-61 victory over the Antelopes, while Sabally contributed 7 points.
This was simply a thank you. It wasn’t a celebration for me. I wanted to celebrate the University of Oregon and what they have done for me in my career.
Sabrina Ionescu
The fans gave Ionescu a standing ovation after she scored a three-pointer from the center of the court with 6:03 left. The player responded by waving to the crowd and touching her heart.
Ionescu expressed his excitement about returning home to a completely full stadium.
In 2020, Ionescu, as a senior, saw her season cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, Oregon defeated Stanford in the Pac-12 tournament championship, and the team was expected to be one of the top seeds in the NCAA tournament. Sabally, for her part, was a freshman who was unable to play due to an ACL injury.
Ionescu finished her college career as the historical triple-double leader in the NCAA, both in men’s and women’s, with 26. She was selected as the number 1 pick by the Liberty in the 2020 WNBA draft.
In honor of Ionescu, who won a WNBA title with the Liberty last year and a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson declared Monday as “Sabrina Ionescu Day.”
Natasha Cloud, Ionescu’s teammate, commented that both players deserved recognition, highlighting their growth and success in the WNBA.
The Liberty announced that they had exercised Sabally’s fourth-year option, which will keep her with the team through the 2026 season.
Clara Wu Tsai, owner of the Liberty, and Oregon coach Kelly Graves were in attendance at the game.
It’s a really great idea. The preseason has been visiting many of the college campuses of its star players, and Sabrina is a franchise player for us and has done wonderful things. So it’s great to go back to where it all began.
Sandy Brondello, Liberty Coach
Graves noted that if the first rounds of the NCAA tournament had been played in 2020, Ionescu would have had at least one more game in Eugene to thank the fans.
The WNBA’s return to Oregon is scheduled for next year, with an expansion team yet to be named set to begin in Portland.
