WNBA All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu takes the saying “once a Duck, always a Duck” to heart because no opportunity to pay tribute to her former school ever goes to waste.
The New York Liberty guard repped the Oregon Ducks on the big stage when her team faced off against the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Playoffs.
The Oregon Duck and Sabrina Ionescu make an “O” together after the New York Liberty defeated the Toyota Antelopes in a exhibition game at Matthew Knight Arena. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Ionescu debuted Ducks themed Nike Sabrina 3s during game 2 of the first-round playoff matchup. The green and yellow “Ducks of a Feather” colorway had fans going to social media to plead for their release.
It’s not the sixth-year WNBA veteran’s first-time wearing Oregon themed shoes in the postseason. During New York’s 2024 championship run, Ionescu showcased Ducks’ Sabrina 2s in game 2 of the WNBA Finals.
In that game, Ionescu gave a signature performance that was inspired by Oregon football’s 2024 regular-season victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes that occurred the day prior.
“I mean after they won the way that they did, today I was like ‘Yeah, I’m gonna wear my Oregon shoes’, because I just kind of wanted to embody that tough, gritty win that they pulled off,” Ionescu said in 2024.
The shoes weren’t able to help provide the same success for the Liberty in the latest game against the Mercury that they did last postseason, however.
