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Sabrina Ionescu etched her breakout third season atop the WNBA record books Saturday during the Liberty’s road game against the Mercury.
After logging an assist within 30 seconds of tip-off, Ionescu, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft, became the first player in WNBA history to record at least 500 points, 200 rebounds and 200 assists in a single season. The 24-year-old star’s historic dime came on a wide open Crystal Dangerfield three to give New York an early 3–2 lead.
The Liberty would eventually fall to the Mercury, 76–62, to slide to 13–19 on the season.
Although the 2022 campaign has been trying for New York as a whole, Ionescu has flourished in a fashion reminiscent of her legendary collegiate career at Oregon. With career-best averages of 17.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG and 6.4 APG, the 5'11" guard entered Saturday as the only player in the league in the top 15 in all three categories.
Ionescu has showcased her well-rounded skill set all season long en route to earning her first All-Star nod. She recorded 19 points, six boards and six assists as a starter alongside captain A’ja Wilson in Team Wilson’s 134–112 win over Team Stewart. She ended the month of July by becoming the fourth WNBA player to record 16 assists, setting a Liberty franchise record in the process.
Earlier in the month, Ionescu recorded the highest-scoring triple-double in league history with a 31-point, 13-rebound, 10-assist effort in the Liberty’s win over Wilson and the Aces. The performance also tied Ionescu with Candace Parker’s league record of three triple-doubles; she has record two triple-doubles this season after logging the first in Liberty history, then the league’s 10th, during the ’21 season.
Ionescu’s standout season serves as a proper launching point for the former AP Player of the Year following a frustrating start to her WNBA career. She was limited to three games her rookie year due to a left ankle injury, and struggled in her return last season, averaging 11.7 PPG on .375/.329/.911 splits in 30 games played.
