Is Sabrina Ionescu playing tonight against Laces BC? Latest on Phantom superstar's status (Feb. 18, 2025)

Sabrina Ionescu is expected to lace up for the Phantom BC when Unrivaled action resumes on Tuesday. The New York Liberty guard and her team Phantom take on the Laces BC, hoping to restore parity by bouncing back to winning ways. Ionescu's side is 2-5 and second-last in the standings.

Ionescu has been a regular feature since she was cleared for basketball activities following her thumb surgery and recovery soon after the 2024 WNBA Finals, which saw her win her maiden WNBA championship. The sharpshooter was one of the big names that generated the buzz around the 3x3 tournament and will now look to keep Phantom in contention.

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Sabrina Ionescu on what she learned from Kobe Bryant: "Attention to detail"

It's well documented that Sabrina Ionescu shares a good relationship with the late Kobe Bryant and his family. In one of her earlier interviews with Vanity Fair, the Liberty guard shared what she learned from the 5x NBA champion and how it was instrumental in making her mark in the WNBA.

"We had worked out together a few times, and he came to visit me when [Oregon] played in LA. He had such attention to detail, just all the small fundamental things: the footwork, the arc of your shot when you fadeaway —all those minute details that play into being one of the greatest basketball players in the world, which he was. I was like a sponge, just trying to listen, super into the kind of details that I obsess over. I love being able to learn and take it all in."

In the ongoing Unrivaled season, Sabrina Ionescu is averaging 17.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. She comes off her title season averaging 18.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists. Come the 2025 WNBA season, the guard will be keen on defending her title alongside Breanna Stewart for New York.