You’d think after clinching the New York Liberty’s first-ever WNBA championship and the first of her career, Sabrina Ionescu would be laying low, taking a break, and enjoying some well-earned rest. I mean, we all remember her hitting that insane game-winning logo three-pointer during Game 3 of the 2024 WNBA Finals. That alone qualifies her for some much-deserved R&R. But nope! That’s not the case for the 27-year-old guard who’s always hungry for more. While the WNBA is in its offseason, the four-year veteran is still on the move, checking off boxes, and pushing her limits on and off the court.

Where to begin? For starters, she’s playing in the inaugural season of Unrivaled, the professional women’s 3-on-3 league founded by Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier and NY Liberty’s Breanna Stewart (and teammate to Sabby!). She’s running her SI20 Foundation, a nonprofit that provides youth of all backgrounds and skill levels access to sports. And to top it all off, she’s jet-setting to France in between all of this for Paris Fashion Week with Dior. Oh, and did I mention this is all happening while she’s training for her fifth season in The W?

But believe it or not, it doesn’t stop there for Sabrina. She made her Super Bowl ad debut in Michelob ULTRA’s commercial spot for the big game. In it, she and NFL legend Randy Moss battle Hollywood royalty, Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara, in an intense game of pickleball for the prize of—you guessed it—some ice-cold Michelob ULTRA. You know, just a regular day in the life!

Thanks to this iconic moment, Cosmo got the chance to chat with Sabrina about what it was like filming the Michelob ULTRA ad and so much more. She got into how she prepped for the Liberty’s wildly stressful five-game Finals series against the Minnesota Lynx, her longstanding friendship with the late Kobe Bryant, and being a newlywed during her best and most stressful season yet. Keep reading for a convo that pulls back the curtain on Sabrina’s world—giving us exclusive behind-the-scenes into the highs, challenges, and everything in between.

You’ve got a lot of accolades under your belt: WNBA championship, Olympian, NCAA triple-double leader, the list goes on. Is there anything else you want to add?

I want to win more than one championship. Every year, that’s been the goal. Once you win your first one, it’s great, the monkey’s off your back and now you know what it feels like. But it creates this hunger of wanting to do it again. And I think I’ve come off that high of winning and everything that’s come with it. It’s coming back to reality that we’re about to start here pretty soon again. Before I know it, the offseason is over and we’re back to competing. For me, it’s wanting to win again, and we have all the right pieces to do so.

You and your husband got married a couple of months before, arguably, your best season. What did his partnership and support look like during such a big and busy year for you?

Yeah, definitely a crazy year. There’s no secret as to why I did have my best year because I was able to have him here with me, and that was a big part. I wouldn’t have had the year that I had if he wasn’t able to commit himself to being by my side through it all. He put aside his NFL career and was able to be in New York, watch all the games, be a part of the championship run, and come to the Olympics. It was fun to have him there and not have to share that experience over the phone. It’s that level of sacrifice that comes with marriage.

Kobe Bryant was known to be one of your greatest mentors and fans loved y’all’s relationship. What have you taken from him that you’ve passed down?

How important mentorship is. He didn’t care about women’s basketball or men’s basketball, he didn’t separate the two—it was just basketball. And that message is so important. He was the first pioneer who showed up to games and watched women before a lot of people who have been doing it now. For me, it’s understanding that it doesn’t matter where you come from or what you look like. It’s about if you’re good at the game and if you give it your all. Nothing else matters. He always preached that and that’s something I want to do, especially as a mentor. I want to take people under my wing who are obsessed with and love the game of basketball and help them in any way that I can.

The Michelob Super Bowl commercial is major! What was your favorite part of shooting it?

The best part was just being able to go out there, be yourself, and bring out that competitive spirit while playing pickleball. It was fun being alongside Randy Moss, who’s also super competitive. We wanted to figure out tips on how we can win and how we can get better at the game. That usually doesn’t happen in most commercial spots.

Do you have any plans for the Super Bowl this year?

No! I’m definitely gonna watch it. I’ll probably be more in tune with watching the commercial spot during the breaks than the actual game, but I think it’s gonna be a great Super Bowl between two really good teams.

As someone who was recently competing for a league title, what did you do to prepare for those games, especially the last one?

I was trying to stay grounded and in the moment. There are so many variables and moving parts. Games are coming quick. For me, it was just trying to block out the noise, stay in the moment, and not worry about what happens if you win or lose one game or if you don’t play well. The experience of losing the year before helped a lot, too because I knew what that felt like, and I knew what went well and what didn’t then. It all helped me stay locked in and be able to just grind out a win and to be able to become a champion.

You Might Also Like

• Here’s What NOT to Wear to a Wedding

• Meet the Laziest, Easiest Acne Routine You’ll Ever Try