When you think of signature shoes, the first names that usually come to mind are probably Kobe, LeBron, or Jordan. But guess what? Joining the same legacy now is the New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu, as her Nike shoes are making waves in the NBA. After all, they aren’t just ‘women’s shoes.’

Athletes are wearing them all over, from the courts of the WNBA Finals to the NBA- and even the NFL. Ionescu herself knows how to flaunt her collection. She recently laced her new collection not just in practice sessions but during WNBA Finals Game 2, too. But which NBA stars are wearing them during games?

NBA stars rocking Sabrina Ionescu’s shoes

At one point last season, a whopping 177 NBA players were wearing the Sabrina 1s, according to the 26-year-old herself. For instance, Boston Celtics’ Jrue Holiday was one of the first NBA stars to sport the Sabrina 1s. He wore them in 57 games last season, becoming an unofficial ambassador for the kicks. 

When he wore the player-exclusive white, black, and blue colorway for the first time against the New York Knicks, Sabrina expressed, “I don’t even think I watched the game. I was really just watching his feet.” Meanwhile, the NBA star credited the shoes for his amazing shooting as well. Well, it could be true, as the traction pattern on the outsole of the kicks is engineered for excellent grip, especially for shooters. 

But the Celtics star wasn’t alone. Other stars like Mikal Bridges, DaQuan Jeffries, Corey Kispert, Aaron Holiday, Kris Dunn, Payton Pritchard, Jordan Poole, and many more joined. Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers has been spotted in a custom cornucopia-esque colorway which has black, red, and blue on the left shoe and red, yellow, and green on the right shoe.

At the same time, Cade Cunningham from the Detroit Pistons rocked a unique version during a standout game in which he scored 30 points and dished out 12 assists. Even Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks wore the white and orange colorway during a game in which he scored a career-high 50 points. 

And it’s not just NBA players. NFL star Breece Hall customized a pair of Sabrina 1 cleats for an NFL game. When it comes to WNBA, the numbers surpass the count. Some of the names include Courtney Vandersloot, Jonquel Jones, Stephanie Talbot, and more. 

The Liberty guard even personally gifted pairs of the Sabrina 1s to Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes before their Final Four appearance. But how did this whole journey begin? 

Sabrina 1 & 2: The unisex shoes taking over courts

Sabrina Ionescu signed her endorsement deal with Nike in April 2020, and by 2023, she was launching her first signature shoe. The Sabrina 1s hit the market as part of Nike Basketball’s Fall and Holiday 2023 lineup, priced at around. As soon as they were released, they became a hit with both fans and players.

That’s how Ionescu became the first woman in the WNBA to have a unisex shoe. She worked closely with Nike designers to ensure that her shoes would be for everyone, breaking the mold of traditional ‘women’s’ or ‘men’s’ sneakers. The design itself was inspired by Kobe Bryant’s iconic shoes. 

Ionescu, a known Kobe fan, had worn his Kobe Vs throughout most of her college and early pro career, and she wanted her shoe to carry a similar feel. Nike product director Deepa Ramprasad confirmed that they intentionally drew inspiration from Kobe’s designs while giving it a Sabrina touch.

Some players, like Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson, spotted the similarities and said, “The silhouette and feel of them kind of feel like an old Kobe.” Also, Dereck Lively II told ESPN, “They remind me of Kobes, but at the same time, she has her own twist to it.” 

The Olympic gold medalist added intricate embroidery inspired by Romanian art and architecture to represent her heritage, along with a stylized “S” on the tongue and a lowercase “i” on the heel. It didn’t take long for the Sabrina 1 to build momentum, and in June 2023, Nike released the Sabrina 2s with the ‘Court Vision’ colorway. 

They took everything up a notch with it. It’s lighter, more cushioned, and features a dual-density setup for that extra bounce. Now, with the new collection hitting the market on March 6, 2025, the buzz around the shoe line is showing no signs of slowing down. Let’s see which players will set new records while rocking Sabrina’s signature shoes next!