Projected No. 1 pick Ionescu returning to Ducks
Baylor uses its strength as Lauren Cox and Kalani Brown combine for 43 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Bears to a 72-67 win over the Ducks. (2:00)
TAMPA, Fla. — Sabrina Ionescu, who led Oregon to its first appearance in the Women’s Final Four, is staying for her senior season.
The 5-foot-11 junior guard announced via The Players’ Tribune on Saturday night that she will not declare for the WNBA draft. Her return means the Ducks, who won the Pac-12 regular-season title, will bring back four of their five starters next season.
Kobe Bryant breaks down Oregon star Sabrina Ionescu’s game. Watch on ESPN+
Ionescu already holds the NCAA career record for triple-doubles with 18.
“I came to the University of Oregon as a freshman in 2016-2017,” she wrote in the piece. “We made the Elite Eight (and lost big). I came back to the University of Oregon as a sophomore in 2017-2018. We made the Elite Eight (and lost close). I came back to the University of Oregon as a junior in 2018-2019. We made the Final Four. And now I couldn’t be happier to announce that I’m coming back to the University of Oregon for the 2019-2020 basketball season. I won’t predict exactly how far we’re going to go … but I’ll just say this. We have unfinished business.”
With Sabrina Ionescu staying put, Asia Durr is now the projected No. 1 pick. Sophie Cunningham and Jessica Shepard also moved into the first round.
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Because she turns 22 later this year, Ionescu is eligible for this year’s WNBA draft. She was projected to be the No. 1 pick in espnW’s mock draft.
The AP All-American had 24 hours after the Ducks’ season-ending loss to Baylor in the Final Four on Friday night to declare.
About Oregon’s “unfinished business,” Ionescu wrote: “And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. My teammates and I, our coaches, our fans, this program — we’re not going on a ‘run,’ you know what I mean? We’re not doing one of those things where, like, a team appears out of the blue, on the backs of a few good players, and then makes some noise for a season or two before heading back underground. Nah. This isn’t that. We’re building something here in Eugene. We’re building something — together — that’s going to last for a long time after we’ve all graduated.”
The WNBA draft is Wednesday in New York.