A WNBA offseason full of news for the New York Liberty even includes some for star Sabrina Ionescu.
Ionescu announced on Instagram Saturday that her boyfriend Hroniss Grasu — a reserve center for the Raiders — proposed.
“It’s always us here’s to forever with you 1.20.23 #finally,” Ionescu wrote in her post, with a heart emoji in the middle.
The scene surrounding the engagement included a backdrop of flowers and elevated candles, as well as a heart-shaped collection of candles, where Grasu waited for Ionescu’s arrival and ultimately popped the question.
Grasu and Ionescu both attended Oregon, though their athletic careers at the university never overlapped. The center played for the Ducks from 2011 until 2014, and the Bears selected him in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He also played for the Ravens and 49ers before joining Las Vegas last offseason.
Ionescu started at Oregon the year after Grasu was drafted. She embarked on a historic career with the Ducks and eventually became the No. 1 pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft to the Liberty. After an ankle injury forced her to miss all but three games in her first pro season, Ionescu has played in 66 regular-season games during the past two seasons.
She also appeared in four postseason games in 2021 and 2022, including a best-of-three series against the Chicago Sky.
Ionescu recently told The Post in an interview that her most recent season felt like the first time everything was back to “normal.” The Liberty has since acquired 2021 WNBA MVPJonquel Jones and they have also been linked as a potential landing spot for superstar Breanna Stewart.
Sabrina Ionescu and her boyfriend Hroniss Grasu are now engaged. Instagram
The scene of Sabrina Ionescu’s engagement included dozens of candles that formed the shape of a heart. Instagram
Sabrina Ionescu playing for he Liberty last season. NBAE via Getty Images“It’s my first offseason not rehabbing, and I could say it’s the first offseason that I’ve been able to kind of map out and know exactly what it’s going to look like and not have any obstacles of surgery procedures, you know, whatever that looks like,” Ionescu told The Post at the American Express x NBA 2K23 Gaming Lab event in New York City.
“And so it’s been exciting. … And now getting back to training and so super excited, just hit the ground running.”
