Kobe Bryant had a keen interest in women's basketball. One of the names he followed most closely was Sabrina Ionescu, a 180-centimeter pointguard from the prestigious University of Oregon. Ionescu also gave an emotional speech to Kobe's honor during the memorial service at the Staples Center in February.
Tonight, the 22-year-old went as the first choice during the WNBA draft and, when the season can start again, will be teammate with Swedish big star Amanda Zahui in New York Liberty.
Ionescu is regarded as one of the best players ever in the college basketball team but has a challenge ahead of him in Liberty which last season was a good bit from getting to the playoffs in the WNBA.
- I feel grateful to be in this place. That's what I've been working on for my entire life, Ionescu said after tonight's draft.
Ionescu received many congratulations from the basketball world after going first. One of the more notable was Kevin Durant who will now share Barclays Arena in Brooklyn with Ionescu and welcomed the talent to New York City.
While many young basketball players were given a lifelong dream by getting ready for games in the world's best basketball, the draft also included an emotional tribute to three basketball girls who never got the chance. In the helicopter crash in January where Kobe Bryant lost his life, three young girls were also killed, including Bryant's daughter Gianna. Alyssa Altobelli, Payton Chester and Gianna Bryant were all acclaimed by WNBA chief Cathy Engelbert and the three were selected as honorary draft picks.