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WNBA champion, Sabrina Ionescu was celebrated with a hero’s welcome as she arrived in Manila, Philippines, on Monday, for part one of her tour with Nike. Videos shared on X show fans flocking to the streets of Manila to catch a glimpse of the New York Liberty star.
Interestingly enough, Ionescu was able to generate a massive buzz despite never having played overseas. Check out this video of fans flocking to the streets of Manila to greet Ionescu:
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The only international games that Ionescu has played have been for the USA Basketball team, which she joined for the 2022 FIBA World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 27-year-old is set to host a pair of youth basketball clinics during her time in Manila. She will also do a Nike retail store takeover where a new Nike Sabrina 2 collab will be revealed.
Following this, Sabrina Ionescu is set to travel to Guangzhou, China, for the second part of her tour. During her time in China, she will visit some of China’s most famous courts before making her way to Hong Kong.
The 27-year-old is scheduled to play some street basketball and will also visit schools, including a championship game involving young women with hoop dreams. Speaking on her tour in February, Ionescu said:
“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.”
Sabrina Ionescu recently acquired a stake in NWSL side Bay FC
Basketball doesn’t seem to be the only sport that Sabrinav Ionescu is passionate about. Just a few days ago, the 27-year-old invested in NWSL side, Bay FC and has now joined the soccer team as an investor and commercial advisor. She released a statement on Monday in excitement of what is to come with her latest venture into women’s soccer:
"I have full faith in the Club’s vision and its potential to make a profound impact within and beyond women’s soccer. The Bay FC team and I look forward to driving branding partnerships for the Bay FC athletes and contributing to the overall success of the Club.”
Bay FC made their NWLS debut just last year and will play in their second season in 2025. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of financial moves the team will make now that Sabrina Ionescu is involved.
