Sabrina Ionescu brought flair and friendship to the hardwood when she returned to the New York Liberty lineup in a brand-new colourway of her Sabrina 3 signature sneaker — this one inspired by none other than Sam Kerr’s first-ever Nike Mercurial Player Edition boots.
On Instagram, Ionescu paid tribute to her friend with a simple message: “From one #️⃣20 to another — congrats Sam.”
The crossover is fitting. Ionescu is widely regarded as one of the greatest three-point shooters in WNBA history, recently becoming only the second player ever to win the league’s three-point contest twice. Kerr, meanwhile, has cemented her place as one of the greatest strikers in the world, scoring 69 goals for Australia and becoming her nation’s all-time leading scorer. Different sports, same impact.
Both stars have also carved out groundbreaking partnerships with Nike.
For Ionescu, the journey began in 2020 when she signed a multiyear endorsement deal shortly after being drafted first overall by the Liberty. Since then, she has become the first women’s basketball player to launch a unisex signature collection. The Sabrina 1, released in 2023, blended lightweight performance with personal details, including embroidery inspired by her Romanian heritage. The Sabrina 2 followed in 2024, a sleeker, lighter design that expanded into kids’ sizes. This summer brought the Sabrina 3, continuing the performance-first philosophy with lightweight, responsive construction and a full Dri-FIT apparel line designed for all hoopers.
Kerr’s milestone came a little later but was equally groundbreaking. A Nike athlete for more than a decade, she finally received the ultimate recognition in 2025: her own Player Edition of the Nike Mercurial Superfly 10. The design was deeply personal, drawing on her Perth roots with a sandy base to reflect the beach, teal and pink accents to capture ocean waves and sunsets, and hidden details like her motto “Consistent” and nods to her hometown swagger. It was the first time in 20 years that a female Nike athlete was honoured with a Player Edition boot.
For Ionescu, her Nike collaboration has always been about representation and innovation — creating products that reflect her story while breaking barriers for women in basketball. For Kerr, the Mercurial is about legacy. In a sport where women have often been overlooked in the commercial spotlight, Nike’s recognition of her status was a seismic shift. It celebrated her not only as one of the best in football, but as one of the most important athletes in the world today.
Together, their stories intertwine. From the hardwood to the pitch, from New York to Perth, two number 20s are reshaping what it means to be a Nike athlete — and rewriting the future of women’s sport.
Add comment
Comments