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Josh Ball

Olympic basketball gold medallist Sabrina Ionescu has said she found inspiration in meeting children in Hong Kong last weekend, and especially in experiences that resonated with her own.
In an interview with the Post, the WNBA star said she understood the “importance and significance” of her visit for those she chatted with on visits to two schools in the city.
Ionescu’s arrival in Hong Kong marked the last leg of her tour of Asia, which also included stops in the Philippines and mainland China, and the 27-year-old said helping to grow the game in the region was something she “could never really imagine doing. And we’re kind of here now doing just that”.
The New York Liberty point guard had been taken by surprise at the reaction to her appearances on Sunday at Heep Yunn School, Ju Ching Chu Secondary School and the finals of the Nike All Hong Kong Schools Jing Ying Basketball Tournament at Kai Tak Arena.


Ionescu, whose father left Romania around the 1989 revolution, said those visits had “inspired me just as much” as they did the excited pupils who greeted her.
“Being able to see the hard work, commitment, dedication that everyone has to go through here, what they have to persevere through as well,” she said. “Some of the girls were talking about how they haven’t had a team to play for, or they’ve been told that they shouldn’t be playing.
“And it’s kind of realistic to tell my story as well. So, being able to share that bond and knowing we continue to just push through those barriers of wanting to play the sport we love, is something that’s obviously inspired on both sides.”
Growing up in California, the Liberty star’s school did not have enough players for a girls’ team, and when they would not let her play with the boys, she took matters into her own hands.
“My middle school said I should be playing with dolls. Seriously, word-for-word,” Ionescu told The Washington Post in a 2019 interview. “So I went out and recruited a bunch of girls to sign up for the team, and then I would just play. It’s funny now. I wish I could go back and just tell those people they had made a mistake.”

Aside from being considered one of the greatest college players of all time and a three-time WNBA All-Star, Ionescu also helped win the first championship in Liberty franchise history last season.
New York Liberty are owned by Joe Tsai and his wife Clara Wu Tsai. Joe Tsai is co-founder and chairman of Alibaba Group, which owns the South China Morning Post.
Just as the recently retired Diana Taurasi – whose family also emigrated to the US – had been the player she looked up to and “wanted to be like”, Ionescu recognised the position she now occupied for others.
“Showing up to two schools, being able to just kind of immerse yourself in their tradition and their history, getting to talk to the children and students and being able to answer some of their questions, it’s an opportunity you don’t really get often,” she said.
Ionescu said her advice to the girls and boys she met would be to understand how they could “impact other people even though you’re young”.
“The older girls could also just understand the role models that they are at that younger age to the younger generation and start giving back to them and mentoring them.”

Her personal investment in the future goes beyond basketball: the California native has put her financial backing into Bay FC, a team playing in the US’ National Women’s Soccer League.
But she said it was “an amazing time” to be part of the WNBA with “everything continuing to rise for women’s sports”. Growth is coming, with expansion teams including the Golden State Valkyries and Toronto Temp. The Canadian franchise, which will enter the league in 2026, has the backing of tennis superstar Serena Williams.
“The more people that can invest, women investing in women, you can just continue to raise the bar and the standard,” Ionescu said. “And everyone kind of has to follow or they get left behind.”


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WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association)

Hong Kong ‘inspired me just as much’, WNBA’s Ionescu says after wowing pupils

Sabrina Ionescu poses with students as she visits Heep Yunn School in Hong Kong. Photo: Eugene Lee

Heep Yunn School pupils give Sabrina Ionescu a warm welcome on Sunday. Photo: Eugene Lee

Excited children await Sabrina Ionescu’s arrival on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Eugene Lee

WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu says defending title will be as tough as winning for first time

Sabrina Ionescu said her goal was to win another title but acknowledged it would be harder to win. Photo: Eugene Lee

Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu after their three-point challenge in February last year. Photo: TNS

WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu tells Hong Kong pupils to ‘dream big’ on third leg of Asia tour

Heep Yunn School pupils watch on as WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu runs through some drills. Photo: Eugene Lee

WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu shouts encouragement to players running a drill at Heep Yunn School in Kowloon. Photo: Eugene Lee

Sport

Basketball

New York Liberty player says she shared a bond with local girls who ‘haven’t had a team to play for’, and was happy to share her story


New York Liberty player says she shared a bond with local girls who ‘haven’t had a team to play for’, and was happy to share her story.


Lunar

5050

Hong Kong ‘inspired me just as much’, WNBA’s Ionescu says after wowing pupils

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}New York Liberty player says she shared a bond with local girls who ‘haven’t had a team to play for’, and was happy to share her story

New York Liberty player says she shared a bond with local girls who ‘haven’t had a team to play for’, and was happy to share her story