Sabrina Ionescu is already one of the biggest stars in sports and she’s only getting started.
The Oregon Ducks legend announced on Wednesday a new career move, joining Thirty Five Ventures co-founder Kevin Durant’s business venture, Boardroom, with a new partnership with the organization and positioning her as an ambassador for the sports business media network.
“Ionescu will provide an inside look at growing her own business portfolio off the court and her unique insights on brand partnerships like State Farm and Nike,” Boardroom said in a post on its website. “She’ll work with Boardroom on content, events, and editorial, including a collaboration with Thirty Five Ventures co-founder Kevin Durant.”
Ionescu will also become a strategic partner to Thirty Five Ventures, “giving her visibility and access to venture capital partners and key stakeholders in the organization’s network while further growing her personal portfolio.”
Ionescu joined ESPN’s basketball show, “The Jump,” to talk more about the move.
“I just love the world that basketball has provided for me on and off the court. From culture, brands, investment opportunity and the Boardroom encompass all of those things,” Ionescu said. “Obviously having KD (Durant) and (Durant’s manager) Rich (Kleiman) here in New York is awesome ... I feel like I can really bring my brand relationships to life in a unique way and bring fans, and obviously a lot of young girls and boys, behind the scenes of my partnerships through all of Boardroom’s network.”
Ionescu was selected with the top overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft by the New York Liberty after a historic career for the Ducks. She is the NCAA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles with 26 and is the only Division I basketball player to record 2,000 points, 1,000 assists, and 1,000 rebounds in a career.
Ionescu is averaging 16 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists per game this season for the Liberty and became the youngest player in the history of the league to record a triple-double earlier this year.
-- Aron Yohannes
ayohannes@oregonian.com; @aronyohannes