New York Liberty captain Sabrina Ionescu isn’t just your average sharpshooter. She’s a record-breaker, a game-changer, and let’s be honest, kind of a walking highlight reel of accolades. From stacking triple-doubles like it’s a hobby to leading the next wave of women’s basketball, she’s built a career on pushing limits. And she’s not slowing down. Just this March, she toured Manila, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong, running youth clinics, unveiling shiny new courts, and sparking big dreams in even bigger crowds of young girls. But her impact doesn’t stop at the edge of the hardwood. As Paralympian Lindsey Zurbrugg reveals in an Exclusive Interview with EssentiallySports, Ionescu’s fire hits home in ways that go far beyond just the scores.
“My girl, Sabrina. I’m from Portland, so Oregon Ducks all the way, and that girl can shoot.” Without a moment’s hesitation, Lindsey Zurbrugg lit up when asked who inspires her most in women’s sports during our exclusive conversation. We caught up with the Paralympic medalist at the EssentiallySports booth during the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend — part of the “#ItsHerMoment” celebration — and her answer came fast and full of admiration!
And really, how could she not be? Ionescu isn’t just lighting up the WNBA now, she has come a long way rewriting college basketball history. Between 2016 and 2020, the University of Oregon star became the first NCAA player ever, male or female, to rack up over 2,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists. She finished her college run with a record 26 career triple-doubles. Though Portland native Zurbrugg loves the way she shoots, this American wheelchair basketball player is inspired by something beyond the hoops.
Lindsey quickly confessed in our exclusive chat that, “And even if she’s having an off night, like I’m the shooter on the team, you have an off night, you find a way to distribute. You make your teammates better. And there’s so much more than just being a shooter. And I think she proves that every single night. So love the gal.” And the New York Liberty captain has proved every sense of her words recently as well. On July 22, 2025, the Liberty beat the Fever 98–84. Ionescu was not having a great night. She scored just 13 points (5‑15 FG), but the player was not shy about helping her teammates out.
Thought we’d hit the ceiling? Think again. Paralympic medalists @emilyaoberst and @LindseyZurbrugg just joined the party! pic.twitter.com/cF93Gw3kTT
— EssentiallySports (@ES_sportsnews) July 19, 2025
The Barclays Center watched as the New York Liberty‘s shooter had 9 assists and grabbed 5 rebounds, plus contributed with 2 blocks in 29 minutes. She was being more than just a shooter. Lindsey Zurbrugg resonates deeply with this. During the group stages of the Paris Olympics, Team USA dominated Germany 73–44 in their opening group-stage game. Zurbrugg scored just 3 points but contributed 8 assists, 3 rebounds, and played 28 minutes of high-effort court leadership.
Director of wheelchair athletics and men’s head coach at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, Jeremy “Opie” Lade, once said that Zurbrugg is the kind of player who makes a difference every time she’s on the court, even when her shot isn’t falling. That’s because she’s a true all-around player who cares more about winning than personal stats. In the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics bronze medal game, Zurbrugg scored 22 points but emphasized how her teammates’ confidence in her helped her. And despite all that, she remains grounded enough to call herself a normal person, as if she weren’t a superwoman already.
Lindsey Zurbrugg’s got her own infectious energy…
As we celebrated ‘Her Moment’ this weekend, Paralympian Lindsey Zurbrugg reminded us that sometimes, creating a moment starts long before the spotlight finds you. It all started in 2012, when a 13-year-old Lindsey was just another eager kid at her first basketball camp, a few hours away from home. On the third day of drills, her body ached from the effort, and a coach recommended yoga to help her recover. But during one of the poses, something felt off. A sharp pain shot through her back. Soon after, she lost her appetite, and her legs began to feel strangely numb. Within hours, she could no longer activate her hamstrings. Over the next few days, things got worse. She lost her balance during a shooting contest. One morning, she woke up gripped by pain in her hips and nerves.
Paris 2024 Paralympics: Rollstuhlbasketball Spiel um Gold Niederlande – USA Damen, 08.09.2024 PARIS, FRANKREICH 08. September – Rollstuhlbasketball Spiel um Gold Niederlande – USA Damen, Paris 2024 Paralympics am 08.09.2024 in der Bercy Arena in Paris Frankreich. Lindsey Zurbrugg USA, 24 während der the Hymne *** Paris 2024 Paralympics Wheelchair basketball match for gold Netherlands USA Women, 08 09 2024 PARIS, FRANCE 08 September Wheelchair basketball match for gold Netherlands USA Women, Paris 2024 Paralympics on 08 09 2024 at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France. Lindsey Zurbrugg, USA, 24, during the anthem. Copyright: xBEAUTIFULxSPORTS/Wunderlx
She tried to stand, and her legs didn’t move. She was paralyzed. After months of confusion and misdiagnoses, doctors finally uncovered the cause: a traction injury from a tethered spinal cord, a condition Lindsey had unknowingly lived with since birth.
But the end of one chapter meant another one was just right up. A nurse introduced this star to wheelchair basketball. And years later, her showcase boasts a silver from Paris 2024 and a bronze from Tokyo 2020. Another 2022 IWBF World Championship bronze for Team USA shines in there as well. She won the 2022 title on her buzzer‑beater and led an undefeated run in 2023. Yet Lindsey considers herself a normal being. Sure, if “normal” means being decorated on the world stage and rewriting what resilience looks like. Champion sounds a bit more accurate.
This sense of groundedness has always been part of her story. Back when she was 22 years old, the Paralympian said that people love to pick her out as an inspirational sob story because she’s visibly different from able-bodied people. But if you ask her, she prefers to see herself just like every other 22-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair. In her words, she’s had experiences that have shaped her in unique ways, but she still enjoys all the same things most people her age do.
Turns out, being a game-changer isn’t just Sabrina’s special talent. Lindsey, with her wheels and amazing fight, has been rocking it in her own way all along!
The post EXCLUSIVE: Lindsey Zurbrugg Reveals Sabrina Ioensecu’s Infectious Habit That Makes Her Better WNBA Star appeared first on EssentiallySports.
