Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu sets sights on 2028 Olympics after not making FIBA World Cup squad

Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News on Aug 8, 2026

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NEW YORK — Sabrina Ionescu is shifting her focus to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Games after not making the cut for the 12-woman FIBA World Cup squad, which is set to begin group play next month.

And the Liberty star had no hard feelings on the decision to leave her off this year’s World Cup roster.

“I mean, not — kind of — but not really,” Ionescu said when asked if she was surprised when she learned of not making the team. “I know I kind of dealt with some injuries. Obviously, there’s so much talent. You kind of never know. It could go any way. So I don’t know if 'surprised' is the right word. Yeah, it just is what it is.”

The rosters became official on Thursday with Ionescu’s Liberty teammate — Breanna Stewart — being one of the headliners on the roster. Stewart will be joined by these stars for the tournament, which is set for Sept. 4-13 in Berlin:

Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings), Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury), Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces), Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), Kelsey Plum (Phoenix Mercury), Angel Reese (Atlanta Dream), A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces) and Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces).

As she alluded, Ionescu dealt with back and ankle injuries weeks before the official roster was announced. However, Plum and Collier dealt with injuries and missed WNBA regular-season games, too.

“I think that for her to be left off the World Cup roster — I was surprised. Definitely,” Stewart said of Ionescu, who helped Team USA win its eighth straight Olympic gold medal in the 2024 Paris Games.

“Not a nice feeling for her. You know what I mean? But, I feel like she’s taking it in a positive way.”

Ionescu said she’ll “show up to everything I possibly can as long as my body allows it” in order to make the squad for the upcoming Olympics.

Ionescu, who also has a 2022 FIBA World Cup gold medal on her resume, said Team USA women’s managing director Sue Bird told her “the same exact thing” as she told reporters as to why the guard didn’t make the roster.

On a call with reporters, Bird declined to get into specifics about Ionescu not making the team. She said the roster decision was not a reflection of who Ionescu is as a player, and the decision was about choosing people who earned the right to play.

“I understand,” Ionescu said Saturday. “I mean, it’s a tough position that they’re in, and they gotta weigh in a lot of factors. And I know it’s not easy.”