Steph Curry’s reaction to Sabrina Ionescu’s game-winner in Game 2 of the 2024 WNBA Finals perfectly sums up the NBA superstar and his relationship with Ionescu.
With time winding down in New York’s come-from-behind win in Game 2 against the Minnesota Lynx, Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello drew up a play to get the ball to either Breanna Stewart or Ionescu’s hand with the game on the line. After receiving a handoff from Leonie Fiebich, Ionescu stared down Lynx star Kayla McBride as she dribbled the ball at Minnesota’s logo.
With about four seconds left, Ionescu drove left and quickly stepped back, her feet just inches away from the logo, and rose up over McBride for the deep 3-pointer that hit nothing but the bottom, giving New York an 80-77 lead with one second remaining. Because of Ionescu’s theatrics, the Liberty are one win away from winning their first WNBA title.
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While the shot captivated basketball fans around the world, no one was more excited for Ionescu than Curry as after the game, the Golden State Warriors star left an emphatic voice memo on Ionescu’s phone. Speaking with Malika Andrews on “NBA Today,” Ionescu revealed what message she received.
“I’d say, Steph Curry left me a really funny voice memo of him just screaming into the phone,” Ionescu said with a smile, when asked what the best message she received after the shot was. “And that was funny because we’ve just had a great relationship and he’s been a big mentor of mine.
“And obviously through, these Finals, just helping me mentally and physically [to] just stay ready and locked in, and excited to go get one more.” For Ionescu to get that praise from Curry, that means a lot to the Liberty star considering she was a big fan of the NBA legend as she grew up in the Bay Area.
Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu have a close relationship, with the two stars bonding over how to play the game (
Photo by Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)
Speaking before her matchup with Curry in the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-point contest during the 2024 All-Star Weekend, Ionescu was effusive in her praise for Curry and his impact on women’s basketball. “I love having a relationship with Curry,” the 26-year-old said, per NBA.com.
“I remember when I was little, watching him and emulating my game after him and now I’m able to call or text him any time.” At the time, Curry spoke about how shooting and nailing a deep 3-pointer, like the one Ionescu would hit months later, affects an opposing team mentally.
Curry believed that there is “no real defense” for a logo 3-pointer and if the ball does connect, it “deflates” the opponent. Despite Ionescu’s shot living in the WNBA’s history books as one of the deepest game-winners in WNBA Finals history, she originally did not think too much of the shot at the time.
As she spoke to reporters after the win, Ionescu also made it a point to throw a jab at those who believed she was not a suitable All-WNBA First Team candidate. “I didn’t really remember it. I had to look at the video real quickly and see how far I was,” Ionescu admitted.
“In the timeout [Head coach] Sandy [Brondello] was like, ‘You’re going to shoot the shot.’ I feel like I was able to get a little separation in range. Get a really good shot to go. I let the shot clock wind down and got the space. That was just a great All-WNBA Second Team performance.”
Ionescu and the Liberty are looking to clinch their first championship in Game 4 against the Liberty. Regardless of what happens, it can be assured that Curry will be watching the game with nervous anticipation, like other Liberty fans.
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