This historic season for the Oregon women’s basketball team has been more than breaking records and cutting down nets.
The Ducks have gained national attention and changed the conversation about women’s athletics. They’re playing in front of sold-out crowds at Matthew Knight Arena and attendance is up at other Pac-12 schools when they travel to play on the road. This is a team that people want to see.
It’s not just that it’s good women’s basketball. It’s good basketball.
On Feb. 24, Sabrina Ionescu became the first player in male or female NCAA basketball history to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds..
The triple-double record-holder and the trail blazing Ducks started something in Eugene and are beginning to inspire generations of basketball players to come.
“Just really happy to be on this team,” Ionescu said. “I mean, I don’t really think too much about myself and what I’m doing. Just honored and humbled to be a part of something bigger than myself and playing for these people around me that I love and excited to see how our team is really changing society and society’s view on women in sports.That’s something I’m really proud about and proud to be a part of.”
After an 88-70 victory over Arizona on Saturday, the top-seeded Ducks are slated to take on the No. 3 seed Stanford Cardinal on Sunday. Along with being a big day for Pac-12 women’s basketball, Sunday is International Women’s Day.
On Friday night, head coach Kelly Graves and Ionescu were asked about important women in their lives.
“A shout out to my team, all 13 players,” Graves said. “They’re really special people. They inspire me each and every day to be a better coach, a better person. I love the love they have for each other. I think that’s what’s carried us. We have talent, no question. But there’s a lot of talented teams out there. This is a very special group, and I enjoy working with them each and every day. I truly do love them.”
Ionescu thanked her mom, stating that she has worked hard for everything she’s gotten and that she’s the strongest woman she knows.
“I’m very blessed to be able to call her my mom and see her come out and support me every step of the way,” she said.
Throughout the weekend, Mandalay Bay Arena and the Las Vegas strip has been swarming with No. 20 jerseys. People young and old came to Nevada to watch Oregon play for the Pac-12 Conference tournament title.
Those No. 20 jerseys that are now commonplace in Oregon’s crowd were not available until Nov. 11, when the Ionescu jersey became the first women’s basketball jersey produced by Nike.
Ionescutweeted, thanking Nike: “Hoping this is the start of many more female athletes being represented!” she said.
The jerseys sold out in two hours.
“Sabrina is changing the game,” Graves said. “There is no player in the history of college women’s basketball that is getting the attention that she is and not just because she is a great player, but she is getting crossover support from some of the greatest men’s basketball players in the world. Icons. And that just does not happen, so she is, I think, making an impact for our sport that I think will be long lasting.”
Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade applauded Ionescu on Twitter after she became the first-ever player to amass 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds in a collegiate career. Just hours earlier, she spoke in front of 20,000 people on national television at the Bryant family memorial in Los Angeles.
Kobe Bryant’s impact on Ionescu and the Oregon women’s basketball team will be long-lasting, as he was a friend and mentor.
There wasn’t a dry eye on the team when, in an emotional moment after Oregon’s victory over Oregon State on Jan. 26, Ionescu said in a post game interview with ESPN, “I mean, everything I do, I do it for him, obviously. Really close friend and this season’s for him.”
Bryant was not the only player who took notice of Ionescu and the Ducks. Amongst the praise that Ionescu has received from NBA royalty, current superstars like Steph Curry, who came to watch her play, and LeBron James, whotweeted praises about her, have helped broaden the spotlight on Ionescu and women’s basketball.
“The list of people goes on and on of people who respect her, who respect her game and respect what she is doing for college basketball,” Graves said. “There won’t be another one like her.”
Ionescu and the Ducks are role models for young players across the nation who can now see what a women’s basketball team can do. Every week, crowds of young kids come to watch the Ducks play.
“I mean, that’s always humbling to be an inspiration for those that need someone to look up to, especially the younger generations,” Ionescu said. “We put ourselves in their shoes, and we realize that we were those kids — we were those kids trying to find someone to look up to and someone to be inspired by.”
This team has made history and blazed a trail for female athletes everywhere, and on Sunday they will compete on a national stage for the conference championship on International Women’s Day.
