Sabrina Ionescu put on another shooting clinic Friday night to win the 3-point contest for the second time during All-Star weekend. Liberty’s star guard, who also won the title in 2023 with a record performance, had a strong final round, scoring 30 points to defeat defending champion Alisha Gray. It completed a New York sweep of the night by winning the skills competition over Liberty teammate Natasha Cloud. “It’s funny, I was so excited for him, we were talking about it before we got here,” Ionescu said. “It’s about being able to participate together and encourage each other.”
Ionescu’s effort was one shy of her record-breaking mark of 37 two years ago when she made 25 of 27 shots — the most in the WNBA or NBA. The second-highest total of 30 events, matching Ally Quigley’s mark. Quigley is the only other player to win the competition more than once, having done so four times.
Ionescu did not participate in last year’s WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest as she focused on preparing for the Olympics. But he was in Indianapolis for NBA One, competing against Steph Curry in a special shootout. He fell short immediately, but would not lose again in Indianapolis.
“I called Steph and showed him the trophy,” Ionescu said.
Atlanta’s Gray, who made his own history last year by winning the 3-point shootout and the skills contest, fell short of both this time. He had 22 points in the 3-point contest.
Gray went last in the opening round and needed to beat Kelsey Plum’s 22 points to reach the final round. Gray hit his last four shots, including a money ball to tie Ionescu and advance.
Plum, of the Los Angeles Sparks, was trying to become the first player in WNBA history to win the All-Star MVP (2022), the Skills Challenge (2023) and the 3-Point Contest.
Lexi Hull, who was filling in for Indiana teammate Caitlin Clark, who hurt her right groin Tuesday night, scored 20 points in the fourth. Clark hyped up the crowd from the sidelines before Hull’s turn.
Washington rookie Sonia Citron scored 19 points in the first round.
Cloud had the fastest time in the first round of the obstacle course, which consisted of passing, dribbling and shooting. In the final she had to beat Erica Wheeler of Seattle’s mark of 37.5 seconds. Cloud won despite missing all three of his shots from the corner over a windmill defender. He managed to cross the barrier in 36.4 seconds – 1.1 faster than Wheeler.
After beating Wheeler, Cloud hugs Ionescu. He then picked up his girlfriend and Liberty teammate Isabelle Harrison and gave her a hug and kiss. Harrison told Cloud he needed to win so they could put a down payment on a house.
“You’ll get that house,” Megh said after winning.
Cloud received $55,000 from Aflac as part of a partnership with the WNBAPA. He also received $2,575 from the league for the win, which was part of the collective bargaining agreement. Ionescu earned $60,000 for his win from Aflac and $2,575 from the league.
Ionescu said he would give half of his money to Citron, a promise he made to the rookie before the race.
“I told Sonya that if I won I would give her half if we sat on the bench, she was nervous about being the only player, and I was nervous for her. Obviously I had to hold up my end of the bargain. So half would go to her.”
It was Cloud’s first All-Star Weekend appearance in his 11-year career. He was never invited to play in the skills competition or the All-Star Game.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity,” Cloud said.
Wheeler competed a year after losing the race in Phoenix due to flight problems caused by a faulty software update that caused a worldwide technical disaster. Wheeler spent a few years in Indiana and received loud applause from the fans when he was introduced.
Defending champion Gray, who wore custom A’ja Wilson shoes with the “money sign,” ran into trouble after missing three chest passes, which slowed his time and ruined his bid for a repeat.
He finished the course in 39.4 seconds, which was behind Cloud and Wheeler’s opening round. Courtney Williams (42.0) and Skyler Diggins (44.3) also did not make the final round.
(Except for the headline, this story was not edited by NDTV staff and appeared on a syndicated feed.)
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