Sabrina Ionescu Rookie Becomes Most Expensive WNBA Card Ever After Auction Sale

NY Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu just accomplished something no women's basketball player ever has ... her rookie card just became the most expensive WNBA card EVER after selling at auction!!!

TMZ Sports has learned Ionescu's 2020 Panini Prizm WNBA Black Gold rookie card made history on Sunday night when it sold for $10,800.

Reps for PWCC, which brokered the sale, tell us it's the first time a WNBA card has netted five figures on the block.

As for why it was so coveted ... it's one of the rarest Ionescu pieces ever made -- with only five copies in existence.

The card -- graded a Gem Mint 10 -- is super cool ... it features the 25-year-old superstar handling the rock on the front, and on the back, it has a blurb about her college career.

Of course, the price of the card is eyebrow-raising ... considering she's only been in the WNBA since 2020 -- but according to PWCC officials, demand for her memorabilia has skyrocketed after NY added some huge free agents, including Breanna Stewart, this offseason.

"The table is set for one of the most exciting WNBA seasons to date and Ionescu is right at the forefront," PWCC exec Jesse Craig said. "Collectors are anticipating that energy and excitement and looking to buy premier Ionescu cards. We're entering an interesting phase here where supply for these high-end cards won't be able to match the demand."