On Monday morning Oregon star basketball player Sabrina Ionescu stood in front of a packed Staples Center crowd and spoke beautifully about her friends. Kobe and Gianna Bryant.
Then hours later she made NCAA history during the Ducks’ road win over Stamford in what was a battle between two top-5 women’s teams.
Ionescu, who met Kobe last summer and then spent time learning from the NBA legend while also teaching Gianna some moves, became the first player, man or woman, to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds in NCAA Division I basketball history.
She also picked up her 26th career triple-double in the process.
What an awesome way to pay tribute Kobe and Gianna.
Here’s the historical moment:
HISTORY!! 🐐👑
Sabrina Ionescu is the first NCAA player EVER with 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds!!#GoDucks | @sabrina_i20 pic.twitter.com/TrJPrWLUW0
— Oregon Women’s Basketball (@OregonWBB) February 25, 2020
What a day she had:
sabrina ionescu's day, per ESPN
Sunday
4:30 p.m. – practice at stanford
6:30 p.m. – flew to LAMonday
11:15 a.m. – spoke at kobe and gigi's tribute
1 p.m. – flew to bay area
4:32 p.m. – got to the arena
7:20 p.m. – became first D1 baller w/ 2k points, 1k assists, 1k rebounds— Matt Ellentuck (@mellentuck) February 25, 2020
Now that is Mamba Mentality.
Kobe and Gianna would be very proud of their friend.
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