CLEVELAND — It's no surprise that Caitlin Clark and the Iowa women's basketball team have fans across the country, including stars such as Jason Sudeikis and Travis Scott.
But now a new star can be counted among the Hawkeye faithful: Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty made a surprise visit to the team in Cleveland.
Ionescu was the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft following a standout college career at the University of Oregon.
While in the WNBA, Ionescu became the first player in league history to record 500 points, 200 rebounds and 200 assists in a single season. The 5'11" guard was also the first player in the WNBA to record a triple-double in less than three quarters.
Ionescu shared some inspirational words with the team, urging them to cherish the moment they are in.
"Enjoy playing for one another. You're never gonna get another room like this," she said. "There's never going to be another team that you guys are gonna be on that feels like this."
"Be proud of how you guys have represented yourself, represented your team and what you've done for everyone, not just Iowa basketball," Ionescu added.
In addition to the pep talk, Ionescu gifted everyone a pair of Sabrina 1 basketball shoes, earning cheers from the entire room.
"Good luck, I'll be watching," Ionescu said. "Go out there and kill it!"
Iowa, the 1-seed from the Albany 2 Region, will play UConn, the 3-seed from the Portland 3 Region, at 8:30 p.m. CT Friday on ESPN.