Sabrina Ionescu Confirms Nike Deal After Being The First Overall Pick In The 2020 WNBA Draft

Via WNBA

After being selected as the no. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, Sabrina Ionescu took to Instagram to announce and confirm that she had signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Nike.

According to ESPN, Ionescu secured offers worth multiple times her expected WNBA salary. The company offers were even outpacing the value of recent WNBA Finals MVP-level player deals.

"During a time when we all need sport more than ever, we are thrilled to have a generational talent like Sabrina join the Nike family," Rosemary St. Clair, the VP/general manager of Nike Women, told ESPN. "Together, we're going to bring even more excitement to the game of basketball and inspire the next generation of athletes."

Less than an hour after Ionescu's official jersey was available; the jersey's sold out. Nike is the jersey provider for the WNBA, and now that Ionescu has signed a deal with Nike, it can also sell Oregon jerseys with her name on the back, according to ESPN. Ionescu jerseys were back in limited stock Sunday night and will ship no later than June 1.

New York Selects Sabrina Ionescu With First Overall Pick In WNBA Draft 2020 Presented By State Farm

Via WNBA

NEW YORK, April 17, 2020 – Unanimous National Player of the Year Sabrina Ionescu of Oregon tonight was selected by the New York Liberty with the first overall pick of WNBA Draft 2020 presented by State Farm®, which was held virtually in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Via ESPNW

Ionescu, a three-time Nancy Lieberman Award winner as the nation’s top point guard, averaged 17.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and an NCAA-leading 9.1 assists as a senior.  She holds the NCAA record for career triple-doubles and is the only NCAA woman or man to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists.  A friend and mentee of the late Kobe Bryant, Ionescu spoke eloquently at the memorial service for the NBA legend and his daughter Gianna in February.

With the No. 2 overall pick, the Dallas Wings selected Oregon forward Satou Sabally.  A two-time All-American, Sabally won the Cheryl Miller Award this past season as the No. 1 small forward in the country.  She is a member of the German national team.

With the third pick, the Indiana Fever selected Lauren Cox of Baylor.  The 2019-20 Big 12 Player of the Year was a finalist for the Naismith and John R. Wooden Awards as the National Player of the Year.  As a junior in 2018-19, the 6-4 forward helped lead the Bears to the national championship.

The Atlanta Dream used the fourth pick to select guard Chennedy Carter of Texas A&M.  Carter, one of three Associated Press All-Americans who entered the WNBA Draft as a junior, averaged more than 20 points in all three college seasons.  The unanimous 2017-18 National Freshman of the Year owns the top two single-season scoring averages in school history as well as the single-game record of 46 points.

With the fifth pick, the Wings selected Princeton forward Bella Alarie, who became only the third Ivy League player to be drafted into the WNBA.  Alarie, the daughter of former NBA Draft first-round pick Mark Alarie, was named Ivy League Player of the Year in three consecutive seasons.

The next two players both played at South Carolina.  At No. 6, the Minnesota Lynx selected forward Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, the 2020 SEC Tournament MVP.  At No. 7, the Wings used their third pick of the first round to select Gamecocks all-time assists leader Tyasha Harris, the 2019-20 Dawn Staley Award winner as the nation’s top guard.

Ruthy Hebard became the third Oregon player to be selected in the first round when the Chicago Sky drafted her with the eighth pick.  In her senior season, Hebard won her second Katrina McClain Award as the best power forward in the nation and led the NCAA in field goal percentage.

The Liberty used the ninth and 12th picks – its second and third selections of the first round – on Connecticut forward Megan Walker and Louisville guard Jazmine Jones.  Walker, a junior, was named a First Team All-American and the AAC Player of the Year this past season.  Jones capped her college career with All-ACC First Team and ACC All-Defensive Team honors.

At No. 10, the Phoenix Mercury chose guard Jocelyn Willoughby of Virginia and traded her draft rights to the Liberty.  The Newark, N.J., native averaged an ACC-high 19.2 points in 2019-20 and was recognized with the Kay Yow Award as the ACC Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

At No. 11, the Seattle Storm used its lone first-round pick to select guard Kitija Laksa of Latvia.  After playing four seasons at South Florida, the two-time All-American signed with top pro team TTT Riga in Latvia.  In her final full season with the Bulls, Laksa was a finalist for the 2017-18 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award recognizing the nation’s top shooting guard.

In the third round, the Liberty selected two-time Conference USA Player of the Year Erica Ogwumike of Rice before trading her rights to the Lynx for forward Stephanie Talbot.  Ogwumike is the younger sister of former No. 1 overall picks and current Los Angeles Sparks teammates Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike.  No family has ever had three sisters play in the WNBA.

Before the start of the draft, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert named Alyssa Altobelli, Gianna Bryant and Payton Chester as honorary draft picks.  The Mamba Sports Academy teammates, who played on a youth basketball team coached by Kobe Bryant, tragically passed away in a helicopter accident in January.

Also tonight, the WNBA introduced the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, a new annual honor that will recognize an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the visibility, perception and advancement of women’s and girls’ basketball at all levels.

For complete coverage of WNBA Draft 2020 presented by State Farm®, visit WNBA.com and the WNBA App as well as @WNBA on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.

Complete results for WNBA Draft 2020 presented by State Farm® can be found here.

2017-20 USA Basketball Women’s National Team Pool Unveiled

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Headlined by 13 Olympic and/or FIBA World Cup gold medalists, 29 athletes today were named to the 2017-20 USA Basketball Women’s National Team pool, from which the 2018 USA World Cup Team is expected to be selected. The 2017-20 USA National Team pool was selected by the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee.

The 29 members of the 2017-20 USA National Team roster announced today include: Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx); Sue Bird (Seattle Storm); Tina Charles (New York Liberty); Layshia Clarendon (Atlanta Dream); Napheesa Collier (Connecticut); Elena Delle Donne (Washington Mystics); Skylar Diggins-Smith (Dallas Wings); Stefanie Dolson (Chicago Sky); Asia Durr (Louisville); Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx); Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury); Tiffany Hayes (Atlanta Dream); Jantel Lavender (Los Angeles Sparks); Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm); Kayla McBride (Las Vegas Aces); Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream); Kelsey Mitchell (Ohio State); Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx); Chiney Ogwumike (Connecticut Sun); Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks); Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces); Katie Lou Samuelson (Connecticut); Odyssey Sims (Los Angeles Sparks); Breanna Stewart (Seattle Storm); Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury); Morgan Tuck (Connecticut Sun); Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx); Courtney Williams (Connecticut Sun); and A’ja Wilson (South Carolina).

Additionally, in continuing its preparations for the 2018 FIBA World Cup of Basketball and future USA Basketball Women’s National Team events, available members of the USA pool will participate in a minicamp Feb. 9-11, 2018, at the University of South Carolina. It will mark the second camp under the direction of Dawn Staley, 2017-20 USA Basketball Women’s National Team and South Carolina head coach.

“I’m incredibly pleased with the pool of players that make up the 29 and the different experiences that they bring to the team,” said Staley, whose Gamecocks currently are 9-1 and ranked No. 4/5 nationally (as of 12/14/17). “I’m looking forward to putting my stamp on this training camp, because it’s new, it’s different. Yet, you can give the 29 members of the pool anything to run, and they’re going to make you look good. We just have to get together to form some chemistry. Many of us have been together and worked together, just not in this capacity. So, anytime we can get the USA National Team together and work for a few days, it’s only going to benefit us in the long run.

“Anytime you can assemble the best players in our country together in one place, it always is an incredible thing. I think USA Basketball has done a great job of making things convenient for everyone in bringing people together in a place in which, I think everyone who comes will be pleasantly surprised at what Columbia has to offer and what our university has to offer. It’s a tremendous time that will be spent wisely, and it’ll be enjoyable.”

“This is a very talented group, from four-time Olympians Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, to the younger players who are hoping to compete in their first USA National Team competition,” said Carol Callan, USA Basketball Women’s National Team director and chair of the USA Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee. “As we looked toward the future, the committee first had to look at the past. We acknowledged that what has made the USA National Team program such a resounding success over the past two decades was the way our teams have seamlessly blended youth with veteran leadership. And because of that, we wanted to make sure we continued with that recipe in building a team.

We can’t say enough about the veterans. We win simply because our best players want to play over and over again.

“We are happy to be able to take advantage of this time, and I want to thank the University of South Carolina for allowing us to train there in February. USA Basketball is blessed with an array of talent, but that means that our athletes are in demand around the world in many different professional leagues. But, that is also a challenge for us in that we need to be able to find small pockets of time to train in order to be fully prepared to defend the gold medal at the 2018 FIBA World Cup in Spain. We are hoping to be able to get together for another minicamp prior to the start of the WNBA season, where we will continue to prepare and hope to have even more athletes available. We appreciate everyone who is able to participate in our training camps as we feel it’s invaluable to everyone to become more familiar with Dawn’s style of coaching and continue to build on the team culture that has been one of the hallmarks of our success.”

As was the case over the past three quadrenniums, the 2017-20 USA National Team roster will be fluid. It is expected that the official, 12-member 2018 USA World Cup and 2020 U.S. Olympic teams, should the USA qualify to compete in Tokyo, will be comprised of players from the 2017-20 USA National Team.

The USA will train at 10 a.m. (EST) daily Feb. 9-11 at the Carolina Coliseum, and the final roster of minicamp participants will be announced at a later date.

Collegiate members of the 2017-20 USA squad, Collier, Durr, Kelsey Mitchell, Samuelson and Wilson, as well as those competing professionally in Asia, which currently includes Fowles, Loyd and Stewart, will be unavailable to participate in the camp.

All 29 athletes possess prior USA Basketball international experience. Combined, the athletes own 100 gold medals, two silver medals and four bronze medals in official junior and senior level five-on-five competitions, as well as seven gold medals in international 3×3 events. The list of USA National Team members is underscored by a total of 25 Olympic and 19 FIBA World Cup gold medals.

MGM Resorts Selects ‘Las Vegas Aces’ as New Name for WNBA Franchise

via WNBA

LAS VEGAS, NV – MGM Resorts International today announced that its WNBA franchise will be called the Las Vegas Aces. Las Vegas’ first major professional basketball team – formerly the San Antonio Stars – will begin play in its new home in the 2018 season.

Las Vegas Aces President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach Bill Laimbeer was joined by MGM Resorts President Bill Hornbuckle and WNBA President Lisa Borders to reveal the team’s name and logo at a news conference at Mandalay Bay.

“Selecting a new name is an important and symbolic step,” said Laimbeer, a two-time WNBA Coach of the Year and four-time NBA All-Star. “Las Vegas has enthusiastically embraced us, and we’re incredibly excited for this opportunity. We have a strong roster driven to succeed, which makes this name an ideal choice. ‘Las Vegas Aces’ is a nod to the excellence, confidence and competitive spirit of our new hometown.”

Borders said, “We are ecstatic to officially welcome the Las Vegas Aces to the WNBA family. The Aces are already embracing the opportunity to develop a deep connection with the local community, and we can’t wait to watch them bring the WNBA’s brand of world-class basketball to their new home in 2018.”

Hornbuckle added, “This is a great time to bring women’s professional basketball to the Las Vegas community. The WNBA represents some of the world’s best athletes and will showcase its incredible talent for our hometown fans. Young girls and boys in our city will undoubtedly gain dynamic role models for professionalism, teamwork, dedication and discipline.”

Las Vegas-based entertainment and hospitality leader MGM Resorts received unanimous approval from the WNBA and NBA Board of Governors in October in connection with its purchase and relocation of the team from San Antonio to Las Vegas. In its inaugural season in Las Vegas, the Aces are expected to play 17 home games at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, adding to MGM Resorts’ outstanding lineup of live entertainment experiences. The company is home to more than 20 world-class arenas, theaters and outdoor venues, selling 8 million tickets annually for live events ranging from performances by renowned artists such as The Rolling Stones, Cher and Bruno Mars to some of the biggest fights in the history of combat sports.

The Aces will become the second major professional sports team in Las Vegas, following the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, who play at T-Mobile Arena. The NFL’s Oakland Raiders are expected to relocate to Las Vegas by the 2020 season.

Las Vegas’ new WNBA franchise was originally established for the league’s inaugural season in Salt Lake City before moving to San Antonio prior to the 2003 season.

Fans can make a deposit for Las Vegas Aces tickets through AXS.com. Deposits can be applied toward season tickets, multi-game packs, or single game tickets. The opportunity to buy season tickets will be offered to deposit holders in the order in which they signed up and seat availability is not guaranteed. Season tickets will go on sale to the public in early 2018.

Follow @LVACES, #LVACES and visit wnba.com/lasvegas for additional information.

About the WNBA

The WNBA – which features 12 teams and is the most successful women’s professional team sports league in the world – is a unique global sports property combining competition, sportsmanship, and entertainment value with its status as an icon for social change, achievement, and diversity. Through WNBA Cares, the WNBA is deeply committed to creating programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, support youth and family development, and inspire and empower women. For more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com.

About MGM Resorts International

MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global entertainment company with national and international locations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and

an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 27 unique hotel offerings including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. The company is expanding throughout the U.S. and around the world, developing MGM Springfield in Massachusetts and MGM COTAI in Macau, and debuting the first international Bellagio branded hotel in Shanghai. The 77,000 global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies®. For more information visit us at www.mgmresorts.com.