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WNBA #ProDucks: Big Three Debut on Opening Weekend
07/27/20 | Women's Basketball
The WNBA's 22-game regular season kicked off at the campus of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., over the weekend, and one of the main storylines was the professional debuts of Oregon's trio of top-eight draft picks: Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally and Ruthy Hebard.
Ionescu and Sabally each earned starting nods in their first WNBA games, while Hebard came off the bench to help the Chicago Sky to a dramatic comeback victory. Each #ProDuck will play three games this week, headlined by a showdown between Ionescu's New York Liberty and Sabally's Dallas Wings on Wednesday.
All three #ProDuck debuts were televised, and ESPN announced on Monday the addition of 13 more games to its network for the shortened season, raising the total to a record 37 WNBA games in 2020 available on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC or the ESPN app.
SABRINA IONESCU – NEW YORK LIBERTY
Last Week: The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, Ionescu made her much-anticipated pro debut on Saturday against the preseason favorite Seattle Storm in the league's first game of the season. Ionescu finished with 12 points, six rebounds and four assists, but struggled to find her shot while going 4-of-17 from the floor and 0-of-8 from three-point range in an 87-71 Liberty loss. Ionescu scored her first professional points at the 5:19 mark in the first quarter – following her own miss for a rebound basket – and she made waves across social media with a crossover and finish in the third quarter against reigning defensive player of the year Natasha Howard.
This Week: Ionescu will go head-to-head with Satou Sabally and the Dallas Wings on Wednesday at 5 PM PT on CBS Sports Network, the first matchup this season between #ProDucks. The Liberty will then face the Atlanta Dream on Friday (4 PM PT, NBA TV) and the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday (10 AM PT, ESPN).
SATOU SABALLY – DALLAS WINGS
Last Week: Sabally posted a similar stat line as Ionescu in her debut against the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, finishing with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists before fouling out after just over 27 minutes of action. The No. 2 overall pick behind Ionescu, Sabally converted a reverse lay-in early in the second quarter for her first basket and then drained a corner three in the fourth quarter for her first career triple. Sabally finished 5-of-11 from the field and 1-of-3 from three-point range as the Wings fell, 105-95.
This Week: Sabally will take on Ionescu and the Liberty on Wednesday before facing the Indiana Fever on Friday (5 PM PT, CBSSN) and the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday (3 PM PT, ESPN2).
RUTHY HEBARD – CHICAGO SKY
Last Week: The No. 8 overall pick, Hebard made her debut early in the second half of Chicago's season-opener against Las Vegas on Sunday. Hebard quickly got on the board upon entering with an inside basket, and she followed her own miss for a rebound and a bucket not long after to finish with four points and two boards in a little more than seven minutes of action. Hebard returned to the floor for a couple minutes in the fourth quarter, which saw the Sky come back to beat the Aces, 88-86, on a late Allie Quigley three-pointer.
This Week: Hebard will be the first #ProDuck to return to the floor when the Sky play the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday (6 PM PT, NBA TV). Chicago will then take on the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday (5 PM PT, NBA TV) and the defending champion Washington Mystics on Saturday (3 PM PT, NBA TV).
Ionescu and Sabally each earned starting nods in their first WNBA games, while Hebard came off the bench to help the Chicago Sky to a dramatic comeback victory. Each #ProDuck will play three games this week, headlined by a showdown between Ionescu's New York Liberty and Sabally's Dallas Wings on Wednesday.
All three #ProDuck debuts were televised, and ESPN announced on Monday the addition of 13 more games to its network for the shortened season, raising the total to a record 37 WNBA games in 2020 available on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC or the ESPN app.
SABRINA IONESCU – NEW YORK LIBERTY
Last Week: The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, Ionescu made her much-anticipated pro debut on Saturday against the preseason favorite Seattle Storm in the league's first game of the season. Ionescu finished with 12 points, six rebounds and four assists, but struggled to find her shot while going 4-of-17 from the floor and 0-of-8 from three-point range in an 87-71 Liberty loss. Ionescu scored her first professional points at the 5:19 mark in the first quarter – following her own miss for a rebound basket – and she made waves across social media with a crossover and finish in the third quarter against reigning defensive player of the year Natasha Howard.
Season Stats (1 Game): 12.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 34.0 MPG.@sabrina_i20 putting last year's DPOY Howard on skates ?? pic.twitter.com/mCY2MwAVPS
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) July 25, 2020
This Week: Ionescu will go head-to-head with Satou Sabally and the Dallas Wings on Wednesday at 5 PM PT on CBS Sports Network, the first matchup this season between #ProDucks. The Liberty will then face the Atlanta Dream on Friday (4 PM PT, NBA TV) and the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday (10 AM PT, ESPN).
SATOU SABALLY – DALLAS WINGS
Last Week: Sabally posted a similar stat line as Ionescu in her debut against the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, finishing with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists before fouling out after just over 27 minutes of action. The No. 2 overall pick behind Ionescu, Sabally converted a reverse lay-in early in the second quarter for her first basket and then drained a corner three in the fourth quarter for her first career triple. Sabally finished 5-of-11 from the field and 1-of-3 from three-point range as the Wings fell, 105-95.
Season Stats (1 Game): 11.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.0 APG, 27.0 MPGLET'S GOOO! ??????@satou_sabally for ?? pic.twitter.com/FRZTCPmHoa
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) July 26, 2020
This Week: Sabally will take on Ionescu and the Liberty on Wednesday before facing the Indiana Fever on Friday (5 PM PT, CBSSN) and the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday (3 PM PT, ESPN2).
RUTHY HEBARD – CHICAGO SKY
Last Week: The No. 8 overall pick, Hebard made her debut early in the second half of Chicago's season-opener against Las Vegas on Sunday. Hebard quickly got on the board upon entering with an inside basket, and she followed her own miss for a rebound and a bucket not long after to finish with four points and two boards in a little more than seven minutes of action. Hebard returned to the floor for a couple minutes in the fourth quarter, which saw the Sky come back to beat the Aces, 88-86, on a late Allie Quigley three-pointer.
Season Stats (1 Game): 4.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 7.0 MPG.@RuthyHebard24 gets her first #skytown bucket! ??x?? pic.twitter.com/BI5Hnc3fEJ
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) July 26, 2020
This Week: Hebard will be the first #ProDuck to return to the floor when the Sky play the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday (6 PM PT, NBA TV). Chicago will then take on the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday (5 PM PT, NBA TV) and the defending champion Washington Mystics on Saturday (3 PM PT, NBA TV).
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