Sabrina Ionescu “Shocked” Mavs’ 20YO Starlet in 1st Meeting

After sinking a half-court shot in the All-Star Rising practice game, the Dallas Mavericks rookie, Dereck Lively II was taken aback by Sabrina Ionescu. And this time it wasn’t for her insane 3-point shooting skills!

In his post-game interview, when asked about a player who surprised him, Lively revealed, “(Sabrina Ionescu) was the one that had me shocked. She was like ‘Thank you for wearing my shoes.’ And I was like ‘thank you for making them that comfortable.”  This warm exchange referred to Ionescu’s signature shoe, the “Sabrina 1,” a collaboration with Nike.

August 2023 saw Ionescu join an exclusive club, not just for her incredible balling stats, but for becoming the 12th WNBA player to have her shoe collection and only the second female athlete to have a signature shoe from Nike in over a decade.

Read more: Stephen Curry vs Sabrina Ionescu: As “Greatest Inspiration” Turns Rival, WNBA Star Makes a Wholesome Confession to David Beckham

Sabrina has been thinning borders between genders. First, with her request to Nike to make a unisex shoe, making “Sabrina 1” Nike’s first signature shoe; then participating in the historic Cross-League 3-point shooting challenge against NBA veteran Stephen Curry.

Inspiration behind & from ‘Sabrina 1’

In a CBS Morning interview, the New York Liberty guard Ionescu explained her vision for the shoe, “I wanted to create a unisex shoe, so the ability for young girls, boys, men, and women to be able to wear it…And so, when I was in the process of designing this shoe I wanted anyone anywhere to be able to put this shoe on and accomplish whatever it is that they wanted to.”

Dallas Mavericks’ rookie Dereck has been averaging 9.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots with splits of 73.6 percent shooting from the field and 55.9 percent shooting from the free throw line in his first season.

The rookie has certainly cemented his name as a top-tier player and guess what might have made him feel that he could “accomplish whatever it is they (he) wanted to do”? Well, amongst other things, Sabrina Ionescu’s signature collection might just have something to do with it! Lively has been spotted sporting the “Sabrina 1s” in various colorways throughout his debut season.

Currently sitting in 7th place in the Eastern Conference, the Mavericks gear up for their showdown with the Phoenix Suns before embarking on a 4-game road trip. One thing’s for sure: the “Sabrina 1s” will be on board the team bus, potentially giving Dereck Lively his wings for the next game!

Watch the Story: Stephen Curry vs Sabrina Ionescu: Kevin Durant Makes Choice for the Highly Anticipated 3-Point Contest