Basketball fans are set to witness the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-point challenge as Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry will face New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu in a 3-point contest during NBA All-Star Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Liberty star Ionescu is fired up, as evidenced by her reaction on social media:
“I’ll shoot from the NBA line… LETS GET IT!!!!!!!”
The NBA announced that the shootout will take place after the NBA 3-point contest and before the night ends with the Slam Dunk Contest. Curry will use NBA balls and shoot from NBA range. While it was originally announced that Ionescu would shoot from WNBA range using the WNBA ball, the Liberty sharpshooter says that she'll also be shooting from NBA range.
Curry alluded to the upcoming shooting challenge with the Liberty guard while talking with Warriors teammate Brandin Podziemski before Golden State's matchup with the Sacramento Kings:
Said Curry: “Do you know who holds the record for the most points in a 3-point competition?”
Brandin Podziemski answered, “Sabrina [Ionescu]?”
Steph then replied, “We got to settle this once and for all. I think I got to challenge her. It'd be lit.”
Curry has participated in the 3-point Contest seven times, taking home the trophy twice – in 2015 and 2021.
Ionescu set the NBA 3-point contest mark when she had 37 points in the final round of the contest last July. The Liberty star finished the 2023 WNBA season second in 3-point percentage with a 44.8 percent clip while setting the record for most 3-point field goals made in a single season with 128 in 36 games.