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New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu unveils first signature shoe, Nike collection line
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- New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu unveils first signature shoe, Nike collection line
New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu is the latest WNBA athlete to receive a signature shoe .
The Nike Sabrina 1 shoe is expected to launch this fall. On Thursday, Nike released the official images of the basketball sneaker and new collection line. It will arrive in different colorways that include 'Photon Dust', 'Oxygen Purple' and 'New York Liberty' among others.
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"The first thing when a young girl opens the shoe, I just want them to be able to see possibility and to have a dream and to do everything it takes for them to accomplish that because I was able to do that," Ionescu told People.com .
Ionescu is the 12th WNBA player to earn a sneaker line. She joins new teammate Breanna Stewart , who has a signature shoe with Puma, in creating her own sneaker legacy.
Ionescu was heavily involved in the design process. The Nike Sabrina 1 features special Easter eggs that reflect different aspects of Ionescu's personality and heritage. The sneaker highlights Romanian art and architecture. Ionescu's signature is incorporated alongside a dotted "i" that represents her family name. The special accent is contoured along the outsole of the shoe.
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"The Easter eggs that are within the shoe just speak a lot about the story I want to tell and obviously Nike is known for their storytelling," Ionescu said.
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu brings the ball up court during a WNBA playoff game on Aug. 17, 2022.
Nike has crafted several WNBA signature sneakers over the years. In 2022, the company created the Air Deldon for Washington Mystics star Elena Delle Donne . The latest entries follow in the footsteps of Diana Taurasi 's Shox DT sneaker in 2006.
In 1995, Sheryl Swoopes became the first women to have a Nike signature shoe — the Air Swoopes — two years after leading Texas Tech to the NCAA championship. Swoopes would go on to win four WNBA championships and three Olympic gold medals with Team USA.
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Ionescu hopes her signature shoe will inspire the next generation of hoopers .
"For me, it's continuing to help dreams come true for everyone who wears the shoe and hears the story and finds some sense of confidence and belief through that," Ionescu said. "And how we're wanting to inspire the next generation of Sabrinas that are starting the game that they think they can because they see that I am."
Ionescu, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft, is set to enter her fourth season with the Liberty. Last season, Ionescu averaged 17.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 36 games.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA star unveils first signature shoe, Nike collection line
