A year after the tragic death of Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi Bryant, Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty said she honors their legacy every single day by using her platform and trying to lead by example.
In a story by Cassandre Negley of Yahoo! Sports, Ionescu, who has remained close with the Bryant family, reflected on Kobe's impact on her life. Apart from forging her own path in the WNBA, she's also continuing the mission and passion of her childhood hero.
“I strive to lead by example and serve as a role model for young people and especially girls to pursue sports—a platform Kobe and Gigi were passionate about. I saw the way he supported his family and his constant advocacy for women’s basketball. His encouragement and promotion of equality in sports along with his Mamba Mentality is what motivates me today.”
During her storied stint at Oregon, Ionescu was one of the many female college players Kobe openly rooted for, giving her shoutouts and praises on Twitter. Eventually, the 23-year-old do-it-all guard and the former NBA MVP built a friendship.
Along with NBA legends Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, and others, Ionescu was one of those who delivered a eulogy for Kobe Bryant during his memorial at the Staples Center last year. Over the past months since the tragic helicopter crash, Ionescu has been spotted in several videos hanging out with the Bryant family.
After her historic college career, Sabrina Ionescu was selected as the first overall pick by the Liberty in the 2020 WNBA Draft. Her rookie campaign, however, was cut short after just three games as she suffered a serious ankle sprain. She averaged 18.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists.
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