Game 3 of the 2024 WNBA Finals, the score tied at 77-77, and just three seconds left on the clock. The crowd is holding its breath. Then, Sabrina Ionescu pulls up from nearly half-court and drains the shot. And guess what? They win! But did you know that along with her top-notch skill, Liberty Guard had little “luck” on her side? Yes, it’s her ‘Oregon Ducks’ Sabrina 2s!

Now, after walking away with an 80-77 victory, taking a 2-1 series lead over the Minnesota Lynx, she laced up those same shoes for Game 4 again. The NY Liberty is just one win away from their first-ever WNBA title, can they create history? 

Well, the 26-year-old’s shoe can be the key. The green and yellow kicks, a nod to Ionescu’s college days at the University of Oregon, have become her lucky charm. Although the kicks look amazing, it’s not just about the style. They’re packed with all the high-tech Nike goodies, like Cushlon foam midsoles and multidirectional traction.

The shoes are set to release this fall with several other colorways at $130. But the NY Liberty star has been rocking them already. In Game 2, she wore them and put up solid numbers: 15 points, five assists, and four rebounds. That win evened the series at 1-1. Then came Game 3—those shoes carried her all the way to that buzzer-beating three-pointer that gave the Liberty the upper hand in the Finals.

Even Liberty coach Sandy Brondello chimed in on the shoes, joking about Sabrina’s “lucky” footwear. But make no mistake, Sab has got the grit, the guts, and the game to back it all up, too. “Not everyone can take those big shots and make them. She can,” Brondello said. 

After the Game 3, initially, the 3× WNBA All-Star couldn’t exactly recall how she shot it. But in the postgame conference, she said, “Definitely the biggest shot of my career,” and quickly added, “And, hopefully, not the last.” But where did this tradition of wearing these shoes begin for Liberty’s No. 20?

Sabrina Ionescu channels Oregon grit with ‘lucky’ shoes

Just last weekend, the No. 3 Oregon Ducks football team defeated No. 2 Ohio State in a thriller 32-31 game. The game came right down to the wire, with the Ducks hanging on for the win in the final seconds. Indeed, it was a statement victory as it signs that the team is serious about contending for a National Championship this season. 

And the Oregon legend herself was watching every minute of it. Ionescu has always been a proud Duck and one of the greatest basketball player in their history. She claimed the Wooden Award in both her junior and senior years, sweeping all major National Player of the Year honors in her final season. 

With 26 career triple-doubles, an NCAA record, she also became the first player—across both men’s and women’s basketball—to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists in a career. Now, after watching her alma mater pull off that kind of gutsy win, she wanted to channel that same energy.

When asked about her decision to wear the Oregon-themed Nike Sabrina 2s, she explained, “Obviously I stayed up watching the game…after they won the way they did, I was like yeah, I’m gonna wear my Oregon shoes because I wanted to embody that tough, gritty win that they pulled off.”

“A lot of things didn’t go right for them and they continued to kinda fight and stay together and grind out a really big win. I kinda want to bring that energy to the court…so, I think I’m gonna wear the same shoes again on Wednesday,” she added. 

Heading into Game 4 and Sab feeling confident in her Oregon shoes, the odds are looking great for Liberty. But let’s not count out the Lynx just yet. They’re down but not out, and they’ll be fighting tooth and nail to push this series to a Game 5. Let’s see what happens!