Sabrina Ionescu has been a “natural scorer,” but the rest of her skill set is something she nurtured. “I would just have to find ways to impact the game other than shooting or scoring, and that was passing.” It was all because of her initial efforts that she finally accomplished what she had been waiting for, for so long. In April 2020, Ionescu was drafted by the New York Liberty as the first overall draft pick. Little did she know, it was going to be a mere addition to her difficult path to stardom.

In her second WNBA game, Ionescu amazed everyone by scoring 33 points with seven rebounds. Further proving her worth in the next game, Ionescu scored 10 points in just 12 minutes on August 1, 2020, against the Atlanta Dream. The next moment, Ionescu was seen struggling on the court with a left ankle injury. Later, she was diagnosed with a grade 3 sprain. For her, the world shattered in an instant.

“I would get, like, five injections. I tried everything. But the hard part was battling the negativity I received from the rest of the league and social media. I used to read the comments a lot more, and I was pushing myself to prove I belonged in the league,” Ionescu told Vanity Fair in a recent interview. But it allowed her to learn something new.

“It just taught me that I had to run my own race and not focus on what everyone around me was saying,” she added. The 26-year-old further detailed how this injury proved to be a blessing in disguise.

“Now that I’m back, I feel blessed that I went through an injury like that so early in my career. It set me up for my future as a professional athlete,” shared Ionescu. The Oregon alumna was only getting into her groove when she was suddenly struck by injury. This spurred debates about her arrival in the WNBA.

What made the case even worse was New York Liberty’s performance. For context, the Liberty played 22 games in the shortened 2020 WNBA season. By the time the season concluded, they had a 2-20 record, the worst winning percentage in franchise history. Nonetheless, Ionescu’s injury turned out to be a game-changer for her.

Sabrina Ionescu’s well-planned comeback

Despite making a recovery, Ionescu was out for the remainder of her rookie season. Finally, she made a comeback on May 14, 2021, playing in the first game of the 2021 season. In just her 3rd game back, Ionescu recorded a triple-double against the Minnesota Lynx. As she recorded 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, she became the fastest player in the league to accomplish this record.

Cherry on top, the record also marked the first triple-double in franchise history. However, Ionescu’s thirst to prove herself remained unquenched. On July 6 of the following season, she scored 31 points, 10 assists, and 13 rebounds. By doing so, she etched her name in historical records as the first 30-point triple-double scorer in WNBA history.

With the addition of Breanna Stewart in 2023, New York has taken the next step. After reaching the Finals last season, they have started this season on fire. At the Olympics break, the Liberty have a 21-4 record, sitting at the top of the standing. They’ll be hoping to go all the way this time around.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection Silas Demary Jr.