Sabrina Ionescu has done it again.
The New York Liberty star etched her name into the record books one more time on Saturday, this time for a season-long accomplishment.
In the opening minute against the Phoenix Mercury, Ionescu found Crystal Dangerfield on the right wing for a 3-pointer that put the Liberty on the board. The assist was her 200th of the season, making Ionescu the first player to record 500-plus points, 200-plus rebounds and 200-plus assists in the 26-season history of the WNBA.
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She reached the milestone with four games remaining in the regular season. At 24 years old, she promises to challenge and possibly exceed those numbers multiple times throughout her career.
For Ionescu, the achievement's the latest in a young career that's seen the former Oregon standout so far live up to the expectations that came with being the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft. Since injury limited her to just three games as a rookie, she's developed into one of the game's most productive players.
On July 6, Ionescu tallied 31 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to post the highest-scoring triple-double in WNBA history. The triple-double was also the third of her career, tying Candace Parker for the most in league history.
Parker, a seven-time All-Star and two-time league MVP, notched her third just weeks earlier to briefly hold the record for her own. She needed 15 seasons to reach the tally, and she's one of the greatest players in the history of the game. Ionescu reached her third in just her second full season of play.
This is what Ionescu does. She broke the NCAA record for triple-doubles by men or women with the 13th of her career as a junior in 2018. By the time she wrapped up her senior season at Oregon, she'd doubled that tally to 26. In this season — her first as an All-Star — Ionescu has averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game.
Unfortunately for the Liberty, Ionescu's production hasn't translated to on-court success. After a 12-20 campaign in 2021, New York is 13-19 in 2022. That includes a 76-62 loss to the Mercury on Saturday. Ionescu led the Liberty effort with 20 points alongside five rebounds and five assists. None of her teammates scored more than seven points.
New York's long-term priority is clear. Surround Ionescu with the right talent to elevate her unique skill-set into championship contention.