This weekend, the New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu broke each WNBA and NBA information for many factors in a three-point capturing contest, as she dropped all however two within the ultimate spherical of the competitors that kicked off the 2023 WNBA All-Star weekend.
Again in 2021, Warriors guard Stephen Curry established a brand new mark after hitting 31 factors. Two years later, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton tied the Golden State participant. However now, Ionescu’s 37 out of 40 potential factors has surpassed any report posted in previous three-point tournaments.
After the competitors, Curry deemed Ionescu’s efficiency as “RIDICULOUS”, in a tweet which celebrated her show. The Liberty guard has known as out the Warriors athlete and challenged him to a capturing duel.
Sabrina Ionescu known as out Stephen Curry after her record-setting three-point contest win 😂@sabrina_i20 | @StephenCurry30 pic.twitter.com/FbK1ktS50J
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 15, 2023
“I used to be simply targeted on making separately,” Ionescu advised the press after her exhibition. “I wasn’t positive what number of I’d miss however I knew it wasn’t lots. I’m glad to have received this and grateful for the group, they had been cheering me on your entire time.”
The opposite members weren’t even near the previous Oregon collegiate, as Seattle Storm’s Sami Whitcomb got here in second with 22 factors to her identify, and Dallas Wings’ Arike Ogunbowale adopted with 11. Within the first spherical, Connecticut Solar’s DiJonai Carring hit 18 factors earlier than her elimination, as Indiana Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell and Las Vegas Aces’ Jackie Younger each had 15.
Within the stands of the Las Vegas’ Michelob ULTRA Enviornment, was sitting four-time 3-point contest champion Allie Quigley, who used to have the WNBA report earlier than this weekend. She additionally cheered Ionescu’s spectacular show and took her amazement to Twitter.
“UNBELIEVABLE!!! This report received’t ever be damaged,” Quigley posted shortly after.
Ionescu shared how a lot she’s practiced for this second, as her capturing effectivity has gone approach up this previous yr
New York teammate Courtney Vandersloot, who occurs to be Quigley’s spouse, had suggested Ionescu to follow capturing from a rack. Within the WNBA’s regular-season stats, Ionescu’s 54 treys are second within the league, whereas her 44.6% capturing effectivity is fourth-best. In years previous, the Liberty guard had by no means surpassed 33.3% from the deep.
“Yeah, I knew they had been getting in,” the 25-year-old athlete mentioned about her personal efficiency. “There’s adrenaline. It was the ultimate spherical. I had simply misplaced within the Expertise [Challenge] and I wasn’t going to lose once more.”I’ve put in a number of work to have the ability to shoot like I’ve been from the 3-point line. This one’s fairly rewarding.”
On this All-Star weekend’s Expertise Problem, the Aces’ duo of Chelsea Grey and Kelsey Plum took residence the trophy after beating New York’s Ionescu and Vandersloot within the ultimate.
This was the primary competitors the place the WNBA used a teammate format to compete for the prize. “It was a vibe, it was enjoyable,” Grey shared. “The vitality was nice.”
The ball is now on Curry’s court docket if he’s to simply accept her problem to confront one another in a future three-point contest.
