Nike Celebrates WNBA Tipoff & Sabrina 1 Signature Sneaker

Source: Nike / Nike WNBA Tipoff /Sabrina 1

The WNBA is back, and to celebrate, Nike is celebrating one the league’s brightest young stars, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu and the arrival of her first signature sneaker, the Sabrina 1. Invited press (including our own Bernard “Beanz” Smalls) and influencers converged at Nike’s NYC HQ to activate their inner hooper, partake in some basketball drills and get in some full-court runs on the company’s state-of-the-art John Thompson Jr. basketball in honor of the WNBA’s return and Ionescu’s sneaker. Before getting a peak at the new Ionescu’s new kicks, we suited in some Nike gear, including a pair of Nike’s Cosmic Unity 3 basketball sneakers.

Source: Nike WNBA Tipoff

Once we were dressed, our basketball instructor got us warmed up with drills to ensure we worked up a good sweat and got our legs under us before it was time for some 5-on-5 action.

Source: Nike WNBA Tipoff

Once the drills were out of the way, it was time to hoop, and no matter your skill level, you got some burn.

Source: Nike WNBA Tipoff

Once everyone got a taste of the b-ball action, it was time to get up and close and personal with the Sabrina 1. With her new shoe, Ionescu is breaking new ground at Nike. “Ionescu is the first women’s basketball player to deliver a unisex signature collection with NIKE, Inc.,” said Kerry Sobol, VP of Global Women’s Team and Organized Sports, in a press release. “We are thrilled she will lead the charge with us and continue to change the scope of the game for future generations.”

Source: Nike WNBA Tipoff

Sabrina 1 Design Specs

As for the Sabrina 1’s specs, Nike revealed Ionescu played a pivotal role in designing her first signature shoe. The Sabrina 1 is “made to serve players like Ionescu who want to accelerate and cut with quickness on both sides of the floor and still feel fresh in the fourth quarter,” a blog post on the kicks read. The main focus was to keep the shoe comfortable while keeping it lightweight with features like full-length Nike React cushioning and a top-loaded Nike Zoom Air unit in the forefoot. The combination provides energy return and responsiveness; a stabilizing shank in the midfoot provides the wearer with balance. A midfoot band system and lockdown cables work together to help the wearer’s foot stay secure over the footbed.

Source: Sabrina 1

As for the shoe’s design inspiration, Nike reveals “Ionescu’s national heritage, the intricate embroidery patterns on the Sabrina 1 forefoot and eye-stays pay homage to traditional Romanian art and architecture.” A dotted “i” wraps around the shoe’s top and bottom outsole, ending the heel with an “i,” a detail that pays direct homage to her last name.

Source: Sabrina 1

A vertically slanted swoosh on the medial side of the sneaker “represents the barriers that Ionescu has broken throughout her career, and a hidden “Anyone, Anywhere” quote serves as reference to Ionescu’s unmatched competitive spirit as well as her belief that dreamers can come from anywhere.”

There Is Also A Nike Apparel Collection

The collection also features gender-neutral performance and lifestyle pieces, including a hoodie, tees, shorts, a cross-body bag, and the Nike Unicorn sock, the first sock to use Dri-FIT ADV materials.

Source: Sabrina 1

The entire collection arrives in the summer. Until then, you can see more photos from the event and the Sabrina 1 collection in the gallery below. Photos: Nike