Sabrina Ionescu honors GiGi Bryant ahead of WNBA opener

New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu honored the late GiGi Bryant on and off the court on Friday during the team’s WNBA season opener.

Ionescu arrived to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn to play the Mystics in the first game of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup rocking Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy jersey. After hitting the court, she showed off the white and black ‘Mambacita’ Nike Kobe 4’s. The most touching part of the tribute was on the back of GiGi’s jersey. There, the word ‘Mambacita,’ GiGi’s nickname, is seen above the No. 2 with angel wings jetting out on each side.

She recently signed a deal to become a Nike signature athlete — which allowed Ionescu to make the move and wear the jersey and basketball shoes. She already has her own signature shoe in the works, the Sabrina1’s. The inspiration from Kobe Bryant’s signature shoes are on full display on Ionescu’s low-top sneakers.

Sabrina Ionescu honored Gigi Bryant by wearing her jersey and the “Mambacita” Nike Kobe 4 for the WNBA’s season opener 🙏❤️

(via @nyliberty) pic.twitter.com/rMfZWCiBoo

— B/R Kicks (@brkicks) May 19, 2023

“We want to create the basketball shoe, period. Not women’s basketball shoe, not men’s basketball shoe, just basketball shoe,” Ionescu said, via Boardroom.com. “It’s taken a long time. There’s years of process and a lot of trial and error on what works and what doesn’t.”

On top of that, Ionescu and Nike will also launch the ‘Sabrina 1 Clothing Line,’ which includes hoodies, t-shirts, shorts, socks and other items. There has not been an official release date announced for the shoe or the clothing line as of this report.

The Liberty would end up dropping the season opener to the Mystics 80-64. Ionescu was her usual self with 18 points (7-for-20 shooting) and 8 rebounds, but would prove to not be enough.

Aside from Ionescu, all eyes were on the Liberty’s offseason acquisitions during Friday’s season opener. Breanna Stewart made her debut for New York in the matchup where she notched a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double. Veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot joined Ionescu in the Liberty’s back court after spending 12 seasons with the Chicago Sky.

Ionescu’s 18-point performance tied Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner and Connecticut Sun’s Alyssa Thomas for the third-best opening day performance. Chicago’s Kahleah Copper and Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell led opening day with the lone 20-point performances.

The Liberty will be take on Mitchell and the Indiana Feaver (0-1) on Sunday inside the Barclays Center in game two of three in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET and the game will be aired live on Twitter.