By Malia Poblete
The Sporting Tribune
LAS VEGAS — Wooden Award winners. Collegiate superstars. First-round draft picks. Olympic gold medalists. WNBA Champions.
This season, they’re two of the top five scorers in the league.
Las Vegas Aces powerhouse A’ja Wilson and New York Liberty’s game-changer Sabrina Ionescu took to the court last week, evidently as two of the most influential figures in the game. While on opposite ends of the floor, their presence continues to showcase the WNBA’s rising influence and what it means to inspire and elevate the game.
Wilson spent her undergrad years at South Carolina, where she became a key component in their women’s basketball program. She became the program’s first consensus National Player of the Year, a three-time SEC Player of the Year, and a four-time All-American. Wilson also holds numerous school records, including 2,389 career points and 363 blocks. The most notable accomplishment of all—the 2018 first-round draft pick alongside coach Dawn Staley led the Gamecocks to their first NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship in 2017.
“I mean, the support is just unwavering. Honestly, it’s been something that has been a staple to our community in South Carolina, and to watch it grow, it brings a smile to my face, because I remember when the arena was empty,” Wilson said. “I remember when no one was there; now we sell out crowds. We have No. 1 in attendance. So that’s so key with our community as women’s basketball, also South Carolina, and it’s always just been there, even now, when I got my jersey retired, like the whole city just comes out and supports, so I’m truly grateful to be able to say I’m from South Carolina.”
The Aces star is not just an MVP on the court – she has used her platform in the WNBA to give back to the community and inspire the next generation. Over seven years in the league, Wilson has become one of 12 WNBA players to release a signature shoe with Nike (A’One), published a book Dear Black Girls: How to Be True to You, and, alongside her parents Roscoe and Eva founded the A’ja Wilson Foundation. The organization serves as a resource for children and their families who struggle with dyslexia to empower them to reach their full potential through educational programming, workshops and camps. They work to change the culture of students to prevent bullying through education and mentoring, challenging students to use their power to empower compassion and inclusivity amongst their peers.
“Best advice I got during college would have to be, just be true to you,” Wilson shared. “That’s something I’m going to continue to just always stand on and believe in, is just being true to myself, no matter what I’m going through, the sun’s gonna always shine up the next day. If I could be true to myself and I could win from within, I’m okay.”
A legend in her own right, coach Becky Hammon remains in awe of Wilson, who has become one of Las Vegas’ – if not the most – favorite pro athlete.
“I get an up close and personal seat to her character and her leadership style every day,” Hammon said.. “I learn from A’ja, she’s about the right things. She walks the walk. She talks the talk, and what you see is what you get. She’s the same person in every room she walks into.”
Just as Wilson has carved out a legacy rooted in empowerment, Ionescu came in a few years later as the 2020 first-round draft pick, also using her platform to redefine the league.
“They’re studs,” Hammon said. “They’re excellent at what they do, both of them and for A’ja I know her obviously better than Sabrina, but Sabrina has been a real class act. There are a couple of examples that I could give that I won’t give up, I’ll keep for myself, but just a really unbelievable display of character and sportsmanship that I’ve seen.”
ONCE A DUCK
Ionescu, a Northern California native from Walnut Creek, has one of the most decorated college careers as a former Oregon Duck. She holds the NCAA record for most career triple-doubles (26) and is the only player in NCAA history to record more than 2,000 career points, 1,000 career rebounds, and 1,000 career assists. Ionescu won the Naismith Player of the Year, AP Player of the Year, and USBWA Player of the Year honors in her senior season (2019-20). She also won the Wade Trophy and Wooden Award in both 2019 and 2020.
Her accolades speak volumes, but it wasn’t just records that defined her time at Oregon. Ionescu shared a piece of advice that she’s carried with her since her college years.
“I think, be where your feet are at and understand how valuable time is,” Ionescu said. “You know, I think when I was there, the seniors were always telling us how fast time goes and how you really just have to enjoy and embrace the university and where you’re at because time flies. You’re kind of young, and you’re like, ‘yeah, yeah, whatever’. And then in the blink of an eye, it gets to your senior year, and you’re done. You kind of wish you could go back and do it all over again. I think that’s something that you kind of carry with you forever, is just understanding, like time is so valuable and you just have to appreciate where you’re at now.”
Wilson offered a glimpse into what makes Ionescu stand out beyond the stat sheet.
“I think honestly, when it comes to Sab she’s gonna be who she is,” Wilson shared about Ionescu. “I love people that can just be their true selves, and Sab is a killer competitor on the court. But I think people also don’t realize that she has this funny, dry sense of humor, and it never changes. Like, I sometimes just look at her face and I’m like, ‘Sabrina doesn’t know what’s going on’ and she’s like, ‘I’m gonna let you know I don’t know what’s going on’. So that’s pretty cool to see. I think just watching her grow from her Oregon days to here, and how she’s already found herself within the franchise of New York, and just watching her grow and bringing others alongside of her, it’s been pretty cool to watch. So it’s kind of cool to share the court with her, obviously as teammates as USAB, but seeing her flourish is pretty cool as well.”
“Once a Duck, always a Duck” rings true for Ionescu as she supports the youth and community in both New York and her college town of Eugene, among other areas. The SI20 Foundation hosts free basketball camps, such as the annual Eugene Basketball Camp at KidSports, giving kids access to skills training and fostering connection through the sport. The foundation aims to dismantle obstacles that prevent youth from participating in sports and offers life and social skills programming alongside athletic development. Ionescu also has a signature line with Nike, often finding her signing and giving away the gear to young fans.
Despite enduring a painfully close loss to Las Vegas Wednesday night, Ionescu still took the time post-game to do just that, greeting her young supporters.
“I feel like every time I get to the West Coast, there’s a lot of Oregon jerseys, and it obviously means a lot to me,” Ionescu said. “It’s here in Vegas, when I get to LA, Seattle, and now the Bay Area—it’s fun. It kind of brings back those memories of the West Coast, and obviously, the support that I’m able to see from college through the pros. To know that a lot of that fan support has followed me means a lot to me, and supporting me in my professional career.”
The growing fan support and consistently packed stadiums speak volumes on what this league is capable of. Liberty coach Sandy Brondello sees it firsthand.
“We’ve got so many amazing players in this league. In this game, you’ve got A’ja, obviously, and what she’s done in college and the success that she’s had, and Sabrina, and then carried it over to the pro league,” Brondello said. “They’re just professionals, and they continue to get better every year. You know, they have their own signature shoes, and they’re well known all around the world, not just in America, and that’s just paving the way for the young girls out there to dare to dream.
“Because, you know, we can—you can all be, one day—Sabrina or A’ja, or Chelsea (Gray), or Stewie (Breanna Stewart), or, you know, JJ (Jonquel Jones). The list goes on. Our league is in a good spot at the moment, and it’s fun that we’re, you know, finally getting the recognition for these places.”
Rivals on the court, Wilson and Ionescu impressively share similar traits in how they carry themselves, and have hoisted women’s sports on their shoulders during their professional careers.