When New York Liberty secured its first-ever championship, it held special meaning for one player in particular: Sabrina Ionescu. In her final college season with the Oregon Ducks, after foregoing the anticipated WNBA draft, she missed out on an NCAA title, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling the tournament. Ever since, she has been driven by the goal of fulfilling that unachieved dream. Now that she has accomplished this with the Liberty, it appears she also has future plans in place, aligning her career path with that of her mentor, the late Kobe Bryant.

A recent video surfaced on X, likely from the Liberty’s post-championship celebrations, showing Sabrina Ionescu in a lighthearted conversation with a reporter. In the clip, Ionescu wears a black T-shirt with “YERRRNESCU” printed in the Liberty’s signature sea-foam color. While expressing her gratitude to the Liberty for believing in her since they drafted her, she caught attention when a reporter asked if she plans to retire one day wearing the same sea-foam jersey.

Ionescu didn’t hesitate in giving a quick and re-affirming response. “Yeah! I mean I hope so,” she said. It was New York Liberty who actually paved the Oregon alumna’s way to the big stage of W after selecting her as the No.1 pick in the 2020 draft. While she could only play three games in her rookie year, she proved Liberty’s confidence in her worthy, leading Liberty’s scoring tally in 2022 and finishing second during their championship game run in 2023.

This season, Ionescu was the Liberty’s second-highest scorer overall, despite a few lackluster performances in the final series. Now, as she expresses her desire and hope to retire as a Liberty player. A decision followed by numerous, including her late mentor, Kobe Bryant.

Sabrina Ionescu believes her only choice is to live out Kobe’s legacy

Kobe Bryant’s career saw him playing for only one franchise over his 20-year-long career. After the Los Angeles Lakers drafted him in 1996, he remained loyal to the team that elevated him, and like Ionescu now, he clinched his first NBA title in his fourth season with them. Since the pandemic and injury complications cut short Sab’s rookie year, this season marked her fourth full-fledged season with the Liberty where she claimed the title.

“It means everything” to finish at home, Bryant had said to The Habari Network. “I grew up a die-hard Laker fan, so it is like a dream come true for a kid to grow up and play for his favorite team, and play here for 20 years, his entire career,” he added. “I have seen the city grow, I have seen the city develop, and vice versa. There is no place I would rather end my career.”

This quote from his retirement announcement pretty much echoes the same sentiments of that of Ionescu that ran high during Liberty’s maiden championship celebrations. But that’s isn’t all.

In her note to Kobe after the unfortunate helicopter crash, which stole the Black Mamba and his daughter from the world, Ionescu stated that she would carry the Lakers icon’s legacy. He stood for women in sports, providing the platform and just the support required; something the Liberty star greatly admired him for. And for her, he was also the light in darkness and thus wishes to honor him long.

“You took me under your wing and believed in me more than I believed in myself. I only have one choice. To live out your legacy. You will forever live through me,” she wrote in the Instagram post.

Sab had known Kobe since 2019 after he visited one of her Oregon games, congratulated and also gave suggestions to further elevate her game. Her bond only grew in the only one year she could share with Bryant’s timeline. But it remains stronger than most. So expect the Black Mamba’s mentee to stand true to her words.