Video: Sabrina Ionescu Fakes out Caitlin Clark, Shrugs After 3 During Fever-Liberty

BROOKLYN, NY - MAY 18: Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty smiles during the game against the Indiana Fever on May 18, 2024 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images)

Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images

New York Liberty superstar guard Sabrina Ionescu did her best Michael Jordan impression during Saturday’s home 91-80 home win against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever at Barclays Center.

With the Liberty in firm control late in the first half, Ionescu faked a pass, which caused Clark to bite. The two-time All-Star then drilled an open three-pointer and shrugged her shoulders, much like Jordan did during the 1992 NBA Finals between his Chicago Bulls and the Portland Trail Blazers:

That bucket helped give the undefeated Liberty a 57-37 halftime lead over the winless Fever, and Ionescu went on to finish with 12 points and five assists in the victory.

Clark enjoyed a strong performance in defeat, recording 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

When the 2024 WNBA season started this month, much of the focus and hype surrounded Clark, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft out of Iowa.

Clark established herself as one of the greatest players in women’s college basketball history, winning every major national player of the year award twice, and leading the Hawkeyes to the National Championship Game in back-to-back seasons.

Every indication is that Clark will be a superstar in the WNBA, but she hasn’t yet been as dominant as she was in college, and she also doesn’t have a ton of talent surrounding her relative to the WNBA’s best teams.

Before Clark burst onto the scene, Ionescu generated a somewhat similar level of hype while at the University of Oregon.

The now-26-year-old Ionescu was the 2020 Naismith and Associated Press Player of the Year, and she holds the career record for most triple-doubles in Division I women’s basketball.

New York selected Ionescu with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft, and while injuries slowed her over her first two seasons, she has come into her own since then.

Ionescu was named an All-Star and All-WNBA Second Team selection in both 2022 and 2023, averaging 17.0 points per game or better in each of those seasons. She also helped the Liberty reached their first WNBA Finals since 2002 last season.

Of course, Ionescu has been aided by the fact that the Liberty front office went out and got some stars to play alongside her in Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.

If the Fever do something similar in the coming years, Clark will have all the tools needed to thrive and contend for championships in the WNBA.