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Sabrina Ionescu won't play the third and final Laces BC vs Phantom BC matchup this season. On Tuesday, Meghan L. Hall from USA Today reported that the New York Liberty star will be sidelined from the rest of the Unrivaled season because of "prior commitments."
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Ionescu started the season late as she was in rehab for her thumb injury, she suffered against the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals. She played only nine games in the inaugural Unrivaled season, averaging 18.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
Losing Ionescu is a big blow to the Phantom BC who are already the last seed in the standings with a 3-9 record. However, Hall reported that the 3x3 basketball league had reassigned Lynx player Natisha Hiedeman to balance out the loss.
She started the Unrivaled season as a player for Laces BC and played 10 games, averaging 8.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Friday night's matchup will be the first time Hiedeman will play against her former Unrivaled team since getting reassigned.
Sabrina Ionescu is set to tour Asia for the first time for a Nike campaign
Sabrina Ionescu has a huge fan base all around the world. The Liberty star is also one of the few WNBA players to have a contract with Nike and has her own signature sneaker.
On Feb. 17, Nike announced in a press release that Ionescu is set to embark on her first Asia tour with the sportswear giants. The 2024 WNBA champions will visit the Philippines and China during her tour.
Her first destination is Manilla where Ionescu will host youth basketball clinics and take over a Nike retail store. Her tour will end in Hong Kong where she is scheduled to be in attendance for a championship game for young female basketball players.
"I’m excited to connect with basketball fans across Manila, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, especially young hoopers. You can feel their passion for the game, even from New York," Ionescu said in the Nike press release.
As a basketball superstar, Sabrina Ionescu has a busy offseason schedule and the Nike Asia tour is one of the probable reasons for her withdrawal from the Unrivaled.
