Sabrina Ionescu Makes First Cut For USA Basketball Team Roster

Oregon Ducks Junior Sabrina Ionescu will be putting her talent on display again in Eugene this Fall, but adds another accolade to her growing career.

On Wednesday, The USA Women’s Basketball team announced their latest roster update and Sabrina Ionescu was among just two Collegiate Athletes to make the first cut. Ionescu has helped bring on the resurgence of Women’s Basketball at the University of Oregon over the last two seasons, helping get the team to the NCAA Tournament both years.

Last season, the Ducks hosted the first two rounds at Matthew Knight Arena before eventually bowing out in the Elite 8. Entering 2018, Head Coach Kelly Graves welcomes back a bevy of talent including Ionescu, along with Ruthy Hebard and Satou Sabally.

For Head Coach Dawn Staley it is full steam ahead. The USA Basketball Women’s National team will take on Team Canada on Saturday night at Webster Arena. The exhibition game is a prelude to bigger things that could ultimately include the chance to play in the 2020 Olympic Games. Staley clearly knows what she is looking for in her players.

Ionescu is a former McDonald’s All American, as well as a player familiar with National(and International) attention. Earlier this year, Ionescu teamed up with current Oregon Teammates to win the FIBA 3×3 National Championship before losing at the International level.

The exhibition game Saturday may also see some additional players from the WNBA, who are currently playing in the Playoffs of their respective season. The addition of Ionescu shows just how special she is as a player and cannot drive home enough the reason to watch her play.

Ionescu will soon leave the National Team and return to Oregon to prepare with her teammates for the upcoming 2018 season of Oregon Women’s Basketball. The Ducks open the season hosting Syracuse on Saturday, November 10th.