Opinion: Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu was poised for her defining moment against the Lynx in the WNBA Finals

MINNEAPOLIS — So, Sabrina Ionescu isn’t considered an All-WNBA First Team player, right?

It’s hard to say what was colder on Wednesday night at the Target Center: Ionescu’s 28-foot buzzer-beater that secured an 80-77 win for New York in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals against the Minnesota Lynx, or the fifth-year guard’s tongue-in-cheek reflection on her performance afterward.

“That was just a great All-WNBA Second Team performance,” Ionescu joked, resting her chin on her hand with a smile. “That’s it.”

In truth, it was much more than that. It was a clutch performance that brought the Liberty within one game of their first WNBA championship. With New York now leading the best-of-five series 2-1, Game 4 is set for Friday in Minneapolis. If the Lynx push the series to a Game 5, it will shift back to New York.

Earlier on Wednesday, before the All-WNBA teams were revealed, Ionescu told reporters she wasn’t bothered by missing the First Team despite having a career year. Those who made the First Team included her teammate Breanna Stewart, Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier, Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson, Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas, and Indiana rookie Caitlin Clark.

Ionescu was the top vote-getter for the Second Team, finishing sixth with 204 points, trailing Clark (302 points) and Thomas (255 points). Although she claimed not to care about individual accolades, focusing solely on winning, Ionescu—who entered the league with the same level of excitement and hype as Clark, just four years earlier—played as though she had something to prove. If she continues to shine in critical moments, this series may be over in four games.

New York trailed by as much as 15 but took a 74-73 lead with 1:31 left when Ionescu drove into the paint and dished the ball to Jonquel Jones, who easily scored inside. It was the Liberty’s first lead since early in the first quarter at 5-2.

The assist to Jones gave Ionescu a respectable stat line of seven points, six assists, and five rebounds—solid, but lacking in scoring, especially for a player known for her long-range shooting.

“You’ve got to take what the defense gives you,” Ionescu explained, showing no concern about her low point total.

So when, 35 seconds later, she spotted a brief opening on the perimeter, she confidently drained a 3-pointer, extending New York’s lead to 77-73. Minnesota quickly answered with a tough layup from Bridget Carleton and two free throws from Napheesa Collier to tie the game at 77-77 with 16 seconds left. That’s when Liberty coach Sandy Brondello called a timeout and made the call: “You’re going to shoot this,” she told Ionescu. Even Breanna Stewart, who had scored 22 second-half points, was on board.

After a Lynx foul, New York inbounded the ball. Ionescu dribbled near midcourt, drained a few seconds off the clock, then executed a step-back to her left—channeling a move reminiscent of another iconic player—to create separation from Kayla McBride. With just one second left on the clock, she nailed a 28-foot game-winner. Minnesota had no time to respond before the buzzer.

“She’s a great player who made a great shot,” McBride remarked, after guarding Ionescu for the full 40 minutes.

“What I love about her is she believes in herself,” Brondello said. “Not everyone can take those big shots and make them. But she can.”

Ionescu’s journey has been a long one. Four years ago, the 5’11” guard entered the league with immense momentum after a record-breaking college career. She shattered NCAA records, including the most triple-doubles (26) in both men’s and women’s basketball and became the first player ever to accumulate over 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists. Ionescu led Oregon to its first Final Four in 2019 and, instead of going pro early (where she was a lock for the No. 1 pick), returned in hopes of winning a championship for the Ducks. However, COVID-19 cut short her final season, ending her collegiate career in disappointment.

Drafted first overall in 2020, Ionescu signed a major endorsement deal with Nike before playing a single WNBA game. But just three games into her rookie season, she suffered a severe ankle injury that sidelined her for the rest of the year. It wasn’t until last offseason that she felt fully recovered. She worked on adding a floater to her game and earned a spot on the 2024 Olympic roster. Her second Nike signature shoe, already a hit among NBA players, launched earlier this year. (She also tied the knot and had the Oregon Duck mascot at her wedding reception.)

Ionescu hitting this game-winning shot felt poetic—not only because of those who claim Caitlin Clark is the sole sharpshooter or excitement in the WNBA but because Ionescu has been preparing for this moment for years.

“I didn’t realize how far out I was, but it’s a shot I take all the time in practice and before games,” Ionescu said. “It wasn’t a Hail Mary. Once it left my hands, I knew it was going in.”

Ionescu rarely misses. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for this season’s All-WNBA voters.