There are two notable exceptions to this year’s WNBA 3-Point Contest.
Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark and Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, who won last year’s 3-Point Contest, will not participate in this year’s contest, the league announced Wednesday night.
However, Liberty’s Jonquel Jones will compete in the event along with Sophie Cunningham (Phoenix Mercury), Alisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury), Marlena Mabry (Connecticut Sun) and Erica Wheeler (Indiana Fever).
Clark was selected to her first WNBA All-Star team during her freshman season and has made 71 three-pointers this year, third-most in the league.
“My focus is on tonight’s game and then the All-Star game,” Clark told reporters. According to The AthleticShe set a WNBA single-game record with 19 assists before the Fever’s 101-93 loss to the Dallas Wings on Wednesday night.
Clark, who will play for the WNBA against Team USA on July 20, ranks 37th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage (32.7).
It’s already been a great year for Clarke, as not only does he currently hold the Fever team single-season record for assists with 213, he also became the fastest player in NBA history to reach 400 points and 200 assists in the same season, after just 26 games.
Ionsek is second in the league with 74 3-pointers made this year and set an NBA or WNBA professional record with 37 points in the final round of last year’s 3-point shooting competition in Las Vegas.
During the 2023-24 NBA All-Star Weekend, Ionescu agreed to take on Warriors star Stephen Curry in a three-point contest, but the Liberty star narrowly lost, 29-26.
Jones, who will represent Liberty University in the contest, is shooting 39.6 percent from deep this season.
She previously finished as runner-up in the 2021 3-point shooting contest.
The 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge will take place on July 19, with the All-Star Game set for the following day at the Footprint Center in Phoenix.
