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The New York Knicks haven't had much luck against Reggie Miller or the Indiana Pacers over the last 30 years,
but New York basketball was still able to score a smaller victory thanks to Becky Hammon and the Liberty.
As Hammon tells it, the Liberty Ring of Honor member would face Miller during her playing days in half-court shooting contests as Miller — then working WNBA games — was at practice preparing for upcoming broadcasts.
“Reggie Miller would often challenge Becky Hammon to one-on-one half-court shooting contests,” The Athletic's Ben Pickman wrote. “Hammon said sometimes as much as $800 was on the line. ‘I used to take all his money,’ she said.”
Pickman was reporting on the trend among WNBA teams to end their practices with half-court shooting contests. Hammon, now the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces, still participates in the games as well. Suffice it to say she isn't having the same sort of success she had when she would suit up for the Liberty.
“It starts to get expensive,” she said.
12 out of the 13 teams in the WNBA end their practices this way, with the Atlanta Dream as the only exception. They finish with a three-point shooting contest, but the principle is the same — it's a fun way to unwind and for the players to win a few extra bucks.
Pickman also uncovered that some of the top players in the game aren't necessarily the best half-court shooters. Hammon even went as far as to call three-time MVP A'ja Wilson the worst half-court shooter on the team “by a lot.”
Wilson corroborated her assessment, saying, “I suck at it.”
The Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark doesn't excel in this department either, which is surprising considering her knack for hitting absurdly deep threes during games. On the rare occasion she does win a half-court contest, however, she makes sure her teammates know about it.
“I hate when Caitlin makes it because she just gloats about it way too much for me,” teammate Lexie Hull said.
