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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Sabrina Ionescu welcomes opportunity to become role model for Filipina dribblers

Sabrina Ionescu welcomes opportunity to become role model for Filipina dribblers

Published Mar 11, 2025 07:16 am

At A Glance

  • WNBA champion and New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu welcomed the opportunity to become the role model for female basketball players not only in the Philippines but also around the world.

WNBA champion and New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu welcomed the opportunity to become the role model for female basketball players not only in the Philippines but also around the world.

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Speaking to the media at The Peninsula Manila in Makati City on Tuesday, March 11, Ionescu highlighted the importance of taking a bigger role in growing women's basketball especially since the WNBA has now become a global attraction.

“It's huge. It's super important in understanding the importance of growing the game of basketball not only in the United States but around the world and obviously here in the Philippines where you're able to see firsthand the love for women's sports and women's basketball,” Ionescu told members of the Filipino press.

She also expressed admiration to the Filipinos' love for basketball and feels that it was a blessing to be able to see it firsthand.

“(You’re able to see) how this community really takes that in and believes in that and you're able to see that from everyone they believe in these young kids to kind of change the world through the power of sport,” said Ionescu.

The 27-year-old sharpshooter is in the country for the Manila leg of her Asian tour and launch of her signature shoe Nike Sabrina 2.

Ionescu already participated in a panel talk about breaking barriers and gender stereotypes at the Nike Fort in Bonifacio Global City and also conducted a basketball clinic at the Courtyard.

“It's been a blessing to be here and see it with my own eyes and kind of take some of what I'm able to learn here and take that back to the United States and hopefully continue to tell everyone's story here,” said Ionescu.

“It's been really fun and an honor that I'm able to come here into your guys' country and just feel that love,” she added.

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