Aug 6, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) looks to post up against Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) in the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Sparks' Kelsey Plum and Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu Surprise Rookie With Unique Gift

Originally posted on Los Angeles Sparks on SI
By Ben Geffner | Last updated May 29, 2025 3:05 PM ET

Kelsey Plum and Sabrina Ionescu, star guards for the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty, respectively, are regarded as two of the greatest collegiate women's basketball players in the sport's history.

Both were No. 1 overall picks in the WNBA Draft following stellar college careers.

Plum averaged over 25 points per game across 139 games for Washington, capped by earning Wooden Award honors in 2017.

Ionescu, in similar fashion to Plum, won the Wooden Award in both 2019 and 2020 throughout four complete years at Oregon — in which she averaged 18 points across 142 games while earning three-time Pac-12 Player of the Year honors.

Sabrina Ionescu and Kelsey Plum came through for rookie Sarah Ashlee Barker after Plum spotted her beat-up Sabrinas during training camp — they got her fresh pairs of Sabrina 2s pic.twitter.com/fSjCMAA1yU
— Sole Retriever (@SoleRetriever) May 28, 2025

The pair remains extremely close to this day — so much so that when Sparks' rookie Sarah Ashlee Barker was seen sporting an old pair of Ionescu's Nike shoes during training camp, Plum didn't hesitate.

"We gotta get you some new shoes," Plum recalled telling the rookie in a recent Instagram video.

The two-time WNBA champion then reached out to Ionescu, asking for assistance in helping to provide Barker with a new pair of her favorite shoes.

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"Yo, help my teammate," Plum asked Ionescu. "It's a nightmare out here."

Plum's only request: "Just don't send any Oregon colorways."

Ionescu delivered on the heartfelt gesture — converting on Barker's surprise gift by going above and beyond to send five-plus pairs of unique shoe colorways.

"This is why the W is the best," Plum said.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Sparks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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