Sabrina Ionescu coming to New York as Liberty take college star with No. 1 pick in WNBA Draft
Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the Oregon Ducks is introduced before the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women's basketball tournament against the Stanford Cardinal at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on March 8, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Credit: Getty Images/Ethan Miller
It was 35 years ago that the Knicks won the lottery, and as soon as they secured the first selection of the NBA Draft, there was no doubt whom they would take. Patrick Ewing led the franchise for more than a decade.
On Friday night, there again was little ambiguity about who would be headed to New York as the No. 1 overall pick, this time in the WNBA Draft.
If there was little surprise, there were the same sort of big expectations as the Liberty made it official, taking Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu with the No. 1 pick.
The moment that they made the pick, shout-outs came on social media from the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, who will share the Barclays Center court with Ionescu.
“I think I’ve been working for this for my entire basketball career, and just super-excited to be able to see that come to fruition,” Ionescu said on a conference call shortly after being selected. “I’d just say obviously very humbled and excited for the opportunity.”
While there was no surprise at her selection, how it came was different from what she might have expected while growing up and gaining the acclaim she had at Oregon, where she became the first player in NCAA history, male or female, with at least 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds in a career.
The Liberty added four more players in the top 15 picks, selecting UConn’s Megan Walker at No. 9 and Jazmine Jones at No. 12, the final selection of the first round. They then took Jones’ Louisville teammate, Kylee Shook, at No. 13, the first pick in the second round, and added Duke’s Leaonna Odom at No. 15.
Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu celebrates her team's win over Stanford to win the Pac-12 Conference women's basketball tournament at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on March 8, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Credit: Getty Images/Ethan Miller
The Liberty, who began the remaking of their roster with the trade of Tina Charles earlier in the week, also traded the contract of Shatori Walker-Kimbrough to obtain Virginia forward Jocelyn Willoughby, who was selected No. 10 overall by Phoenix.
With the coronavirus idling all gatherings, the draft was held virtually, with WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert hosting the event and announcing the picks from her New Jersey home.
When Ionescu was selected, she was in her living room in Walnut Creek, California, with her family sharing the couch with her.
“Of course it was different than what I had expected,” she said. “And [I was] just excited to be able to be here with my family and the people closest to me and be able to spend this time. Making the most out of what’s going on in today’s society. Just really happy to be able to spend this moment with them and excited to have gone through this process.”
The draft not only was the first real league event to be held since sports were shut down but also carried with it the specter of the passing of Kobe Bryant and the rest of the passengers who died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26.
Before the announcement of the first pick, the WNBA made three honorary selections — Bryant’s daughter Giana, Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester — with Englebert announcing their names and following that with comments from surviving family members.
After the draft was concluded, the WNBA introduced the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, which will recognize an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the visibility, perception and advancement of women’s and girls basketball at all levels.
“Kobe was an incredible champion of women’s basketball and Gianna shared his passion and dedication to our game,” Engelbert said in a statement. “The Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award will honor their legacy and reflect Kobe’s commitment to mentoring the next generation of players, promoting the game and giving back to the community.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
