In an electrifying showdown during NBA All-Star Saturday Night, Stephen Curry clinched victory in a special 3-point competition against WNBA standout Sabrina Ionescu. The Golden State Warriors’ maestro made a stunning comeback, securing a 29-26 win by sinking 4 of 5 shots from the right corner in the final moments of the contest held in Indianapolis.
“I knew I had to get hot,” remarked Curry during the TNT broadcast. Reflecting on the unique event, he added, “This couldn’t have gone any better in the sense of us two taking the chance on this stage, one round, with all the hype and to deliver like that. The way she set the bar was unbelievable to watch. This might be something we need to do more often.”
While Curry triumphed in the 3-point competition, other All-Star events saw Damian Lillard winning the NBA 3-point shooting contest, Mac McClung, a G-Leaguer, claiming the dunk contest title, and Team Pacers emerging victorious in the skills competition.
The Curry-Ionescu showdown originated from a conversation between Curry and his Golden State Warriors teammate Brandin Podziemski, discussing Ionescu’s stellar performance in the previous year’s WNBA All-Star 3-point competition. Curry proposed a competition with Ionescu, who promptly expressed her enthusiasm on social media.
Ionescu, playing for the New York Liberty, made a remarkable start on the left side of the court, hitting nine of her first 10 shots. However, Curry, though starting slower, made up ground by sinking all five shots from the right wing before clinching the victory from the right corner.
Expressing her excitement, Ionescu called for more competitions that include both genders, stating, “I’m excited to change the narrative and be able to do it alongside the greatest to ever do it.”
In the regular 3-point shooting contest, Lillard became the first repeat winner since 2007-08, edging out Karl-Anthony Towns and Trae Young in a thrilling final round. The dunk contest saw McClung securing a perfect 50 on his final dunk to claim victory for the second consecutive year.
The Skills Challenge concluded with Team Pacers triumphing in a half-court shot tiebreaker against Team All-Stars. Tyrese Haliburton’s impressive half-court shot secured the win for Team Pacers in the overtime, with Myles Turner and Bennedict Mathurin contributing to the victory.
NBA fans were treated to a night of spectacular performances, showcasing the skill and talent of some of the league’s brightest stars across various competitions.
