Both Los Angeles Lakers big man Pau Gasol and Vanessa Bryant paid tribute to WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu after the New York Liberty guard established a new league benchmark on Saturday.
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Ionescu’s achievement wasn’t a total surprise, since she was the top overall pick of the 2020 WNBA Draft after a standout collegiate career at the University of Oregon.
The relationship between Ionescu and the Bryant family began in January 2019, when Lakers legend Kobe Bryant attended Ionescu’s game in Los Angeles against the University of Southern California.
Kobe Bryant attended the game with his daughter Gianna and two of her friends. From that point, the bond between Ionescu and Kobe Bryant grew strong enough that he would text her after her games.
In January 2020, Ionescu and all of the basketball world were stunned when Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash. Making it even more painful was the fact that another of the victims was Gianna Bryant.
When a memorial service for Kobe Bryant and his late daughter was held, Ionescu was afforded the honor of speaking about her connection with the icon.
Later that evening, Ionescu reached a milestone by becoming the first collegiate player, male or female, to score 2,000 points, hand out 1,000 assists and grab 1,000 rebounds.
Ionescu and Vanessa Bryant have obviously remained close since that tragic period, with Gasol’s connection as a close friend of the Bryants also continuing.
The fact that Ionescu is only in her third season of action is an indication that she may end up elevating that milestone even higher by the time her career comes to an end.
