Sabrina Ionescu talks Gianna Bryant, life inside WNBA bubble
With the Liberty ready to tip off their pandemic-delayed WNBA season Saturday against the Seattle Storm at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., rookie guard and first-overall draft pick Sabrina Ionescu takes a shot at some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: What can you tell me about Kobe Bryant’s daughter, Gigi, and how good of a basketball player she could have become?
A: She was a great basketball player, and she was born to become great, obviously had the work ethic and the right people around her to help her become that. It was really exciting to see her progression through the years and how she continued to get better and smarter in every category.
Q: Describe her as a young girl.
A: As like every young girl, just happy, loved being around her friends, loved basketball, always prioritized that over a lot of things … always laughed, always was just happy with life, honestly.
Q: Who are athletes in other sports you admire?
A: That’s a good one. … I would say obviously like Tom Brady. I really enjoyed watching Peyton Manning, Tiger Woods. … There’s so many … every athlete that really excels within their sport … and really someone that I admire because of the way that they prepare and have that kind of mindset and mentality.
Q: How would you describe that mindset and that mentality?
A: Elite, I would say. The way that they play themselves, the way that they approach the game — no cutting any corners, doing things how they should be done and do more, always do more.
Q: What do you think of Phoenix Mercury veteran Diana Taurasi?
A: She’s the GOAT, so it’s been fun being able to be around her and play against her and try to just try to form a relationship with her.
Q: What is the best piece of advice she’s given you.
A: I don’t know if it’s a particular piece of advice, I think it’s just the way that she views the game and her competitiveness and how she goes about her business that I really pay attention to and helps me.
Q: How would you describe your on-court mentality?
A: I would just say do anything I can to win. That’s really the most important, just finding a way to get that done and just grinding away at that.
Q: If you could build the perfect basketball player, what traits would you take from Sabrina Ionescu?
A: Probably just my competitiveness and the ability to not only lead but also have to bring everyone together, and probably passing ability as well.
Q: A quote about you from UConn coach Geno Auriemma: “She beats you with her head and eyes.”
A: Well, definitely the head. The amount of time … the hours that I’ve put in to learn the game, study the game, study the defense, the offense and all those things help me in every aspect of the game, and so definitely always being one step ahead, the mental side of things.
Q: What about the eyes?
A: I would say the eyes would probably just be on the passing side of things — always looking away, always know where I want my defender to be to get something else open and kind of baiting them into what I want.
Q: If you could go one-on-one with any WNBA player in history, who would you pick?
A: I would probably say [former Liberty star and current Spurs assistant coach] Becky Hammon, because I’ve always looked up to her and she’s so good … although I don’t really play one-on-one, but that would be one.
Q: What did you like specifically about her?
A: Everything. She’s just such a well-rounded player, and I just remember watching her when I was younger, and I have two of the first jerseys that I owned was hers, and so I would just say really everything about her competitiveness, her mind, the ability to score and get people involved.
Q: Do you expect a woman head coach in the NBA? Hammon has been mentioned as a possibility.
A: I think that’s definitely something that she’s kind of inspired me to keep dreaming of, just watching her be an assistant coach and make her way up is exciting, and I think she’d be a great head coach, and I do think she will be one, one day.
Q: Would you aspire one day to be an NBA head coach?
A: Or just an NBA coach.
Q: What did you think of the U.S. women’s national soccer team and its quest for equality?
A: I think that was awesome. I actually was at the ESPYs when they had to be flown in and walked the stage, and everyone stood up and gave ’em a round of applause, and to be able to see the support that everyone kind of has for them and for demanding equality, it’s huge. And I think everyone’s kind of been inspired by it and tries to find their own hope in all of it. I’m glad to see that they kind of were like that first group that did that.
Q: Do you hope to be an inspiration to young girls?
A: I mean, I hope I am already. If I’m not, I must not be doing something right.
Q: Why is that important to you?
A: Because that’s really what is important, always being able to give back and to be able to do something for someone else.
Q: If you could go one-on-one with any NBA player in history, who would it be?
A: Michael Jordan, probably.
Q: One-on-one with a current NBA player?
A: Steph Curry.
Q: What drives you?
A: Probably just having an underdog mentality. Always wanting to be better and do more. … I want it to be what drives me to always not be satisfied with what’s going on, always wanting to be better in every category and keep growing and working.
Q: You don’t you feel pressure being the first-overall pick?
A: No, not at all.
Q: Why is that?
A: ’Cause the expectations I have for myself are higher than everyone else’s. Just doing what I can control — and that’s studying the game, putting in work — and everything else really takes care of itself.
Q: Do you encounter trash talk?
A: A little bit. I think it’s more just people coming in kind of with ego. I take that more personal than just like trash talk. I think it’s more just how they carry themselves than like the actual trash talk.
Q: And that motivates you?
A: Yeah, definitely.
Q: What do you like best about this Liberty team?
A: I would just say I like the fact that we’re all just so new and how we have the entire new coaching staff, and just being able to learn and everyone raise their expertise and experiences from their past team and kind of bringing it to a collective group, and everyone just learning and having fun at the same time.
Q: Do you consider yourselves underdogs?
A: Oh, for sure.
Q: Why?
A: I don’t think anyone has really has any real expectations for us. I have an underdog mentality no matter what, so it’s always fun being fun being the underdog.
Q: Why do you have an underdog mentality no matter what?
A: There’s always room to get better and there’s room to keep growing, and there’s always people that are gonna doubt you, and it kind of just fuels the fire to want to get better, want to win no matter what.
Q: Why would playing in the Olympics be important to you?
A: It’s always an honor to represent your country and be able to do it at the highest level. I played USA Basketball when I was young, and hopefully can continue doing that.
Q: How is the food in the bubble and what’s your favorite meal so far?
A: The food has been great in the bubble. I would say Chipotle has been my favorite.
Q: How safe do you feel in the bubble?
A: I feel safe. We’re tested every single day, everyone wear masks and gloves. … It’s been as safe as it can be.
Q: Favorite U.S. team memories?
A: Winning those three gold medals [2019 Pan American Games 3×3, 2014 FIBA U-17 World Cup, 2013 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship] is definitely very huge.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Kobe, Michael Jordan, Steph.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “White Chicks.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Ryan Reynolds.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Jennifer Garner.
Q: Favorite singer/entertainer?
A: Chris Young.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Lasagna.
Q: Career goals?
A: To be the best that I can during the time that I’m playing, and find ways to continue to inspire and motivate others to want to be better and do more as well.
Q: What’s it like being Sabrina?
A: Umm, pretty normal (laugh). … Like a normal person, I guess, I don’t really see myself any differently than anyone else.
Q: Do you have a message for Liberty fans?
A: Have faith in us, believe in us. … It’s gonna be fun.