“She’s just always in the right place at the right time!” As the New York Liberty gear up to face the Las Vegas Aces in the semis, Jackie Young can be the biggest danger. And Sabrina Ionescu knows this better than most. After sharing the court with Young during their Olympic run, the 3× WNBA All-Star has seen it all. 

Well, when asked about the chemistry she had with Jackie on the court during their time at the Olympics, Sabrina was all praise and more. “Yeah, I love Jackie,” she said, “I mean, we’ve kind of battled against each other since high school, being like, in the same class, the McDonald’s All-American game, like we’ve just been kind of going at it for a really long time.” 

The WNBA Skills Challenge Champion talked about how Jackie moves so well without the ball and always seems to be in the ‘right place at the right time.’ If that wasn’t enough, she also highlighted how Jackie can shoot, drive, pass, and defend. 

The Olympics this past summer gave us all a glimpse of just how versatile Jackie Young really is. Averaging 9.2 points, and 2.3 assists and rebounds each, Young really provided the depth for team USA. She hit the headlines with a 19-point performance against Germany, coming off the bench, for 5 shots from beyond the arc. She also secured 4 rebounds and 4 steals to stand by A’ja Wilson’s “she’s establishing herself in our league and our world.” 

Ionescu and Jackie Young made the same draft class in 2019 until the former decided to go back for her senior year at Oregon. They have been in the league together since the very next year. But the only time they shared a court together before the Olympics, was back in 2016 at McDonald’s All-American game. The New York Liberty star stood out then with her 25 points, helping the West to an 88-97 win.

But Young has grown since to become one of the best guards in the league, providing Ionescu a better look of her as an opponent. The Aces’ star is averaging 15.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in a star-studded roster including Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray. 

It’s no wonder, Ionescu admitted, “So obviously, she’s, we’re gonna have our hand full with her when this series starts.”

Liberty and Aces Clash for Spot In WNBA Finals

Do you remember the last WNBA season? The Aces claimed the WNBA title after defeating the Liberty in the finals. And since then, the Liberty has had that defeat on their minds. This semi-final matchup isn’t just about a spot in the finals, it’s more about redemption. And this time, things are different. The Liberty finished the regular season with the best record in the league (32-8), and they’re coming in stronger than ever. 

But the Aces are not backing down, that’s for sure, aiming for the three-peat. The season might have been a bit rocky for them as they finished with a fourth seed after a 13-game slump and three losses to the Liberty. But they turned it around just in time, winning nine of their last ten games before the postseason. And let’s not forget Jackie Young is going to play her part when needed the most. 

Meanwhile, the Liberty star has been on fire, putting up big numbers- including a 36-point performance earlier in the playoffs. Still, the Aces will be counting on her to make life tough for Sabrina on the court. So, with both teams hungry for that spot in the finals, let us see who comes out on top!