Hours after eulogizing Gigi and Kobe Bryant, Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu makes NCAA history

Ionescu entered the NCAA record books yet again on Monday against No,. 4 Stanford with her ninth rebound of the night, the 1,000th of her career.

That board made her the first player in college basketball history — man or woman — to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists in her career.


HISTORY!! 🐐👑

Sabrina Ionescu is the first NCAA player EVER with 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds!!#GoDucks | @sabrina_i20 pic.twitter.com/TrJPrWLUW0— Oregon Women’s Basketball (@OregonWBB) February 25, 2020

It’s hardly the first time Ionescu has reached a milestone in her career, but that collection of her numbers — as well her NCAA record 26 triple-doubles — perfectly captures the well-roundedness of her game that has made her one of the biggest stars in women’s basketball as an amateur.

Ionescu’s success is also a reflection of her relationship with Bryant and his daughter Gianna. The elder Bryant once took Gianna and friends to one of Ionescu’s games at Oregon, and she had since struck up a personal relationship with the pair that included training with them and helping coach Bryant’s team.

She posted a lengthy tribute to the pair after their deaths last month, pledging to personally live out their legacy.

That relationship was further shown hours before the game at the Staples Center memorial service, where Ionescu spoke about Bryant’s impact on women’s basketball.


"I wanted to be a part of the generation that changed basketball for Gigi and her teammates. Where being born female didn't mean being born behind."

Sabrina Ionescu pic.twitter.com/HaaJEhHFbp— AJ McCord (@AJ_McCord) February 24, 2020

“I wanted to be a part of the generation that changed basketball for Gigi and her teammates,” Ionescu said. “Where being born female didn’t mean being born behind, where greatness wasn’t divided by gender.”

“‘You have too much to give to stay silent.’ That’s what he said. That’s what he believed. That’s what he lived. Through Gigi, through me, through his investment in women’s basketball. That was his next great act, a girl dad.

Ionescu is widely expected to be selected first overall in the upcoming WNBA draft, and seems well on track to becoming the kind of global star that can expand the reach of women’s basketball. Just like Kobe would have wanted.

Video player from: NBC Sports (Privacy Policy)Oregon basketball star Sabrina Ionescu spent her Monday morning paying tribute to Kobe Bryant as one of many speakers at the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s memorial service. She spent her Monday night doing the same thing on the court.