PHOENIX – Friday night at WNBA All-Star Weekend belonged to the Atlanta Dream, or more specifically, Allisha Gray. Gray participated in both the Skills Challenge and the 3pt Contest and emerged victorious in both events. Gray's performance during the Friday night events drew a hyped reaction from Dream part-owner and former WNBA player Renee Montgomery who was sitting along the baseline for the events.
While Allisha Gray made history in becoming the first WNBA player to win both events in the same year at All-Star Weekend, the talk of the night was the prize money she won. Prior to the weekend, Aflac Insurance Company put up $55,000 in prize money for the winner of each contest. With that being Gray, she pocketed around $110,000 in winnings.
During her media availability sessions following the events, Gray acknowledged that she was a little tired following the Skills Challenge, but that the possibility of winning more prize money helped carry her through the 3pt Contest.
“I feel like I was warmed up from the Skills Challenge. I was running all over the court so I was able to warm up my legs and stuff,” Gray said. “I was a little fatigued a bit from the Skills Challenge but I was able to lock in because I knew it was another 55k.”
Allisha Gray has blossomed into a WNBA All-Star
Allisha Gray was not only the star of the night on Friday, but she has a chance to show out again during the WNBA All-Star Game. Gray was selected to her second consecutive All-Star appearance. This is Gray's second year with the Dream after being traded from the Dallas Wings ahead of the 2023 season.
Gray's Dream teammate Rhyne Howard was also a participant on Friday during an exhibition game for Team USA's 3×3 squad. Following Gray's competition wins, she joked during her media session that she was going to treat her Dream teammates to dinner with her prize money.
“I got them, they know me, I got them,” Gray laughed. “They just got to let me know early so I can plan all that cause I'm still a very cheap person. They got to plan it and I'll just pay the bill.”
Over the course of two seasons with the Dream, Allisha Gray has appeared in 62 games at a little over 32 minutes per game. She's averaged 16.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.0 steals with splits of 44.9 percent shooting from the field, 35.8 percent shooting from the three-point line and 80.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Gray spoke about the competitive fire she carries and how being in the moment during both competitions helped power her through.
“I really just locked in for real. When I know that something's on the line, you got to lock in,” Gray said. “That's just the type of person I am. I take competitions very serious, I'm a very competitive person. I want to win everything.”
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