Raiders center cheers on star fiancee, Liberty in WNBA Finals

Raiders owner Mark Davis isn’t bothered by center Hroniss Grasu’s allegiance to the New York Liberty, who will play the Aces in the WNBA Finals.

Davis understands loyalty — he also owns the Aces — and knows that Grasu’s fondness is forged from love.

Grasu is engaged to Liberty star guard Sabrina Ionescu, who faces the Aces in the best-of-five championship series beginning Sunday at Michelob Ultra Arena. The 31-year-old center jokingly claimed the Raiders’ locker room inside the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center to be a “Liberty locker room” for the duration of the finals.

“Every time (Davis) sees me, he jokes about it,” Grasu said Thursday while seated in his stall, a pair of Ionescu’s signature Nike basketball shoe — the Sabrina 1 — to his left.

“He loves her. She’s done so much for that league in the short amount of time he’s been an owner in that league. … He’s just a really big fan, and I really appreciate that (because) I’ve seen it Sabrina’s whole career where a lot of people don’t really respect or appreciate that league that much, but I have guys come around (and say) ‘I actually watch the game. It’s actually a lot of fun. They play team basketball.’

“This matchup is literally the best thing to happen for this league right now.”

Love, basketball and football

Shared between Grasu and Ionescu beyond their competitive drive is Romanian ancestry, an alma mater, Oregon, and a trainer at the university through whom they met in 2019. Twice and All-American for the Ducks and a third-round NFL draft pick in 2015, Grasu returns every offseason to Eugene to train — that year occasionally alongside Ionescu, then college basketball’s best player.

Recognizing their shared heritage, he had reached out “saying how much I appreciate her, what she’s doing for the Oregon Ducks,” and “our trainer kind of set us up when I was back there training. In the beginning, we were trying to be friends.”

But the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lifestyle restrictions would intensify their bond.

“COVID was either going to make it or break it, and it was really good,” he said. “And so now, we’re getting married.”

Ionescu accepted Grasu’s proposal in January, triggering months of planning that will conclude after the NFL season. Her season concludes this month after the Aces and Liberty resolve a showdown she will surely influence. Now 25 and concluding her fourth season, Ionescu averaged 17 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists and shot 44.8 percent from 3-point range.

She won the WNBA’s 3-point contest in record fashion, and set a single-season mark for 3-pointers made with 128 — inspiring Grasu along the way.

“Her mentality is unbelievable,” he said. “I’ve learned so much from everything. On the field. Off the field. How to handle bad days and how to handle the good days.”

Even more impressive for Grasu is her competitive drive. Case in point: Before Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals against the Connecticut Sun, she texted Grasu for a while about their wedding before “flipping the switch” and making four 3-pointers to help New York secure a 2-1 advantage and eventual series victory.

“I’m really jealous of her … I can’t do that,” Grasu said. “I have to be on all the time.”

Including when he watches her play and the nerves she doesn’t feel fill his body instead. He says he’s a “heart attack waiting to happen” because of how much she cares and wants to win.

Therefore, he does, too.

Grasu said he’s nervous and anxious for the finals, but focused as the scout team center as the Raiders prepare to play on “Monday Night Football” against the Green Bay Packers.

“All the hotels are booked up with the Grasu-Ionescu family,” said Grasu, estimating 30 or so visitors this week on their behalf. “You’ll get the Sunday game, the Monday night game and the Wednesday game. We’ve got a full crowd coming in to support the Liberty and the Raiders.”

Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on X.