Sabrina Ionescu Asks For Custom Insoles Back After Vegas Shoe Theft

WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu has put out a social media plea for the return of a pair of custom insoles. The news came after Ionescu revealed that her pair of custom Sabrina 1s had been stolen from Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. The New York Liberty player had been in Vegas to play the hometown Aces in the final of the Commissioner's Cup, the WNBA's in-season tournament. "Never thought I would get my shoes stolen from an opposing arena… Please just bring me my insoles back. RIP to my Sabrina 1s," Ionescu wrote on social media.

The Liberty beat the Sparks 82-63 on August 15 before returning to the arena on August 17 after an off-day for a morning shootaround and evening game against the Aces. Ionescu has stated that her shoes were locked up with the rest of the Liberty's gear in the arena and she does not know when they specifically went missing. "We are aware of this situation and are working with Metro Police to investigate," said Brian Ahern, executive director of communications for MGM Resorts International, which owns Mandalay Bay Resort and the arena.

Ionescu Victim Of Shoe Theft

Liberty coach Sandy Brandello addressed the issue before Thursday's game, an 88-75 win for the Aces. "As an athlete, it's not about the shoes, per se, it's about the insoles," Brondello said. "That's the thing, going into a game not wearing your insoles. But I'm sure it will be taken care of. Our focus now is just on the game. She's got some [other] shoes here. They travel with enough shoes. It was just about the insoles. Hopefully, they can be found. Keep the shoes, but give the insoles back. She can get plenty of shoes. But we're on the road, so it's not like we can just get some insoles."

The Liberty remain on the road until the weekend, heading to Phoenix for a game against the Mercury on August 18. They then return to New York to recover before playing road games in Connecticut and Minnesota next week. That doesn't leave a lot of time for another pair of custom insoles to be created for Ionescu. The first-overall pick in 2020, Ionescu saw most of her first two seasons in the league derailed by an ankle injury. This year, the guard is averaging 17/5.8/5.7 a game.

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