MINNEAPOLIS – Sabrina Ionescu Returns to Iconic Court

After a shootaround on Wednesday morning, Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu found herself back at the location where she hit the most significant shot of her career. Standing 28 feet from the basket, she reflected, “I’ve just been… I’m not sure why I shot that much.”

This pivotal shot clinched Game 3 of the 2024 WNBA Finals in Minnesota, cementing its place as one of the greatest moments in league history—likely second only to Teresa Weatherspoon’s legendary 50-foot buzzer-beater that rescued New York from a sweep in the 1999 Finals.

Blondero, discussing the shot, described it as “epic,” even though it wasn’t part of a live game situation. This came just before Liberty’s 100-93 loss to the Lynx, despite Ionescu scoring an impressive 31 points.

The weight of that shot was hard to grasp at the time—it was a moment that propelled Liberty to a 2-1 series lead, a fact Ionescu later acknowledged she hadn’t fully understood. It turns out that shot could have been crucial for the series.

“Looking back, without that play, they might not be champions,” said Lynx coach Sheryl Reeve. “It was that big.”

Wednesday marked Liberty’s first return to the target center since the Finals, and Ionescu took a moment to enjoy the nostalgia. She even recreated her iconic shot during the warm-up. “I’ve seen it many times, but yeah, next one,” she mentioned with a hint of determination.

The Liberty’s challenging schedule, featuring six games in ten days, seemed to affect Natasha Cloud. She started feeling unwell on Monday before facing Liberty’s Wings, battling cold sweat, chills, and fever on Tuesday.

Cloud was listed as doubtful on Wednesday morning. Despite feeling under the weather, she was adamant about playing, saying, “Playing today was by no means an option, especially with this game and the down number.” She contributed 12 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and two steals in 32 minutes, emphasizing that it was a good reset day for the team, even without their usual lineup.

During the Liberty-Lynx game aired on ESPN, fans gathered, holding “pay players” signs in solidarity with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association as they continue discussions for a new collective bargaining agreement.

“Isabel Harrison is going to keep fighting to ensure that we are compensated fairly as players, and it’s a conversation that will persist even post-All Star weekend,” said Cloud.