Sportsish was founded in 2021 to help female fans feel seen and reinvent the world of sports for women. Women Wednesday celebrates women who inspire us, change the game, and shape the future.

Sabrina Ionescu is a whole movement. She currently plays for the New York Liberty and helped lead her team to a championship win in 2024. Off the court? She’s changing the game. Through the SI20 Foundation and her partnership with Dove, Sabrina is fighting for equitable access to sports and showing girls everywhere that confidence doesn’t come in one version; it comes in yours. Her eye for fashion led her to create a line with Nike. Sabrina inspires young girls everywhere to chase their dreams confidently.

In 2023 Dove launched the Body Confident Sport program to help girls stay in sport by tackling appearance pressures head-on. It’s the first evidence-based curriculum designed to give coaches and mentors the tools to build body confidence, not just performance, for girls ages 11–17.

Dove has brought its mission to empower girls confidence to some of the world’s biggest sports moments from the Super Bowl, to March Madness and the US Open, partnering with a roster of female athletes, coaches and mentors - including Sabrina - to advance awareness of Dove's Body Confident Sport Program and help girls build lasting self-esteem in sport and beyond.

Dove is partnering with organizations like the Women’s Sports Foundation, Gotham FC, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to get these resources into local communities where they can make a tangible difference.

Together with partners like Sabrina, Dove is redefining what confidence looks like in sport, strong, joyful, and unapologetically themselves

Get to know the amazing woman Sabrina is in this week’s exclusive interview.

Welcome, Sabrina! Let’s jump right in. You’ve had an amazing career so far with some really huge moments. You’re a WNBA icon, you’ve won a championship and a gold medal, you’ve got a shoe line and partnership with Nike—lots of amazing things. What would you say has felt the most like a pinch-me moment so far?

I would start off by saying being drafted. It’s been a goal since I’ve started playing basketball to play at the highest level, so I’d say definitely being able to play in the WNBA is a pinch-me moment. Going to college and playing in college as well. I think every step of the way is a pinch-me moment in itself. Looking back on when I was younger, I always dreamed of playing for as long as I could, so I’d say all the small and big moments remind me of that part of my journey.

*Sabrina receiving her WNBA Championship ring*

That’s really something special. Obviously in your journey, you’ve had a lot of big yes’s, a lot of big opportunities, but what would you say is the best no that you’ve ever received?

I would probably say not making certain teams growing up. I don’t think it’s always about you making the A team or you start and you score all these points. I think the best no’s I’ve received are not making a team I’ve wanted to make, or not playing as well as I wanted to play, and not achieving what I thought I would. In turn, realizing you learn a lot of lessons during those times, and you have to continue to work on getting better and focusing on the things that can help you achieve what you want. I think the biggest no’s have probably been not achieving what I thought I was going to, but then realizing it helps me out in the long run.

*Sabrina's Met Gala look (left) and All-Star Weekend Orange Carpet look (right)*

Taking the no’s and using them to be better takes a lot of confidence. How do you help regain confidence following those big no’s?

Yeah, I think you always have to find confidence within and not rely on any outside source to give you confidence. I think it’s always evolving and growing. As you go through your journey, your confidence is always morphing with you. I think it’s always making sure that the unwavering thing that’s always there with you is your self-confidence. At a young age, you kind of have to find it and understand what it is. And then as you continue to get older, you have to just rely on it that much more.

I think it’s a work in progress. It’s something you’re always working on and striving to have in your everyday life. And I’d say from a young age, it’s something that was always kind of like instilled in me. And it’s something that you continue to have to pour into to be able to get out what you need.

I love that. As a young girl, did you have anyone who helped instill that confidence in you?

I think my mom, my parents, my siblings, and having two brothers helped grow my confidence because they were always super hard and never took it easy on me in whatever we did. I think in turn that only helped me find my confidence even more. Always being around friends, family, and people who continue to help pour into me and help me find that confidence was super important. Also, failing helps find that confidence just as much as succeeding does—knowing you have to rely on that through the good and the bad.

I love that. What advice do you have for young girls to find the confidence to chase their dreams?

The advice would be to make sure that whatever it is, whether it’s confidence or self-motivation or whatever it is that you need to succeed, it’s being able to find it from within. It’s super important to trust in yourself, your journey, and know you’re right where you’re supposed to be. Continuing to pour into yourself and what you need, and knowing that looks different for everybody. I think not comparing yourself, but knowing you have to give yourself what you need in every season of life as you continue to grow on your journey. As you get older, as you learn new things, you have to continue to pour into yourself what you need, and your confidence. I would say that is something that everyone needs. It’s something that you try to continue to grow and perfect as much as you can.

I love that mentality. It’s definitely a process. When you were younger, did you ever dream that this would be your life?

No, not really. I feel like I don’t now, either. I’m trying to stay present in the moment and in what I’m doing and not really see it for more than what it is, but be super thankful for where I’m at. I don’t think I could have ever imagined when I was younger that this would be the professional career I’ve had or the life I have. But I’m super thankful and just blessed to be in the position that I’m in. I think I’m also excited for what the future has, because I know I’m able to try and control my destiny a little bit.

Yeah, absolutely. You mentioned staying present. What is one small ritual or habit that you have in your life that helps you feel grounded amidst the chaos?

I think it’s spending time with my family and people that have always been there for me. They are always supporting me at games and events and everything that comes with the job. My family’s always there when things aren’t going well, and their support is always there. I feel like that’s something that always keeps me grounded in times of chaos and high stress—just knowing you can always rely on your support system, spending time with them, and going out to eat or having them over, just all hanging out as a family. I feel like it’s super important and something that always grounds me.

*Sabrina and her family after winning the WNBA Championship*

That support system is so important. Who would you say is one woman whose confidence inspires you?

I would say my mom. She’s someone who’s raised me, and being able to see all she’s done for her children and the confidence that she’s had. Especially immigrating here from a different country, and the obstacles that she and my parents have had to go through with not being from the US. Now, being able to see how confident she is and who she is as a person, that’s helped grow me and my brothers, and is something that I always look up to.

That is really sweet. She sounds amazing. What is a dream that you have tucked away that might surprise people?

I don’t really think I have one. I feel like I’m living my dream, so I don’t have one that I haven’t been able to do. I feel like everything that I’ve accomplished and everything that is to come is a blessing. Nothing that’s meant for me will pass me, so I feel like I am just really blessed to have accomplished everything that I have already and everything else that’s to come. I’m just excited to see what that is.

I love that. I wish nothing but more good things to come your way. Let’s jump into some rapid-fire questions.

What is the last thing that you bought that instantly made you happy?

I had some chocolate chip pancakes that made me happy.

That would make anyone happy. What is a must-have in your bag?

That would have to be hand sanitizer.

Yes, same girl. What is your most-used emoji on your phone?

The laughing emoji for sure.

Love. What is your dream sporting event to go to?

I would probably say it would have to be something with tennis. I go to the US Open every year, but I would say it is always on my bucket list of things to do that year.

Amazing. Who is your dream dinner guest?

Luke Combs, because that’s my favorite artist, so I feel like it would have to be him.

If you could raid any woman in the world’s closet, whose would it be?

I feel like I need to go with Paris Hilton or something like that.

That would be iconic. I love that. We’re cheering you on now and always, and we can’t wait to see what other amazing things you do, Sabrina!

Photo credits: Getty, Nike, sabrina_i/Instagram, Beverley Sopak, & NY Liberty.

Women Wednesday with Sabrina Ionescu

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