WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest Buzz
The lineup for this year’s WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest has sparked quite a conversation in the sports community. Notably absent from the competition is Sabrina Ionescu, the guard for the New York Liberty, who is a two-time champion of the event.
In the lead-up to Wednesday’s game against the Sky, Ionescu addressed the rumors suggesting she’d opted out of the 3-point contest in Chicago this weekend. “You can’t refuse an invitation you haven’t received. I was really taken aback by that. I’ve never been invited,” she explained to reporters, setting the record straight during pregame media availability.
Other prominent players, like Caitlin Clark and Kayla McBride, have also been mentioned as having declined invites to the competition.
“Each time I step on the court, whether it’s against Stephen Curry or anyone else, I aim to surpass my own records,” Ionescu stated. Her memorable moment includes a record-setting 37-point performance in 2023.
“I wanted to clarify everything,” she added. “It seems there was some misinformation, but I’m genuinely excited to see who will be competing. There are bound to be new winners.” Ionescu also reminisced about past contests, hinting at a possible invitation alongside Curry. “If we do another NBA All-Star, and Steph is involved, maybe we could get a proper invite.”
The confirmed participants in this year’s three-point contest include Dallas’ Aj Fuad, Atlanta’s Ryne Howard, Golden State’s Janelle Salaan, Portland’s Bridget Carleton, Toronto’s Marina Mabry, and Seattle’s Natisha Hedeman. Among them, Howard and Mabry have prior experience in the All-Star Weekend contest.
Earlier, Ionescu took to social media to deny claims regarding her participation, responding to a now-deleted post by Bleacher Report that suggested she was opting out. McBride also chimed in, revealing her agent had contacted her just 48 hours before the announcement but that she had not received a formal invite either.
“It’s odd to see things like being scared of competition when you haven’t heard it directly from me. It’s probably best not to believe everything you see,” McBride tweeted. “Let’s appreciate the fantastic shooters who are here already because there are some real talents.”
Despite having dealt with an ankle injury earlier this season, Ionescu is averaging 13.8 points in 14 games.
