The three-point problem between Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu was the very best a part of final yr’s All-Star Weekend. Naturally, the NBA is abandoning the occasion.
Curry’s Golden State Warriors are internet hosting the All-Star occasions, whereas Ionescu grew up within the San Francisco Bay Space. For some cause, the NBA insisted on “elevating the bar” on final yr’s standard Steph vs. Sabrina occasion, so as a substitute, they’re abandoning the competition totally.
Ionescu and Curry needed to develop the competition to incorporate extra gamers, reportedly Curry’s former teammate Klay Thompson and WNBA sensation Caitlin Clark. Nonetheless, per The Athletic, Clark released a statement in January saying that she “desires her first three-point contest to be at WNBA All-Star in Indianapolis this summer time,” maybe saving her star energy for when her personal Indiana Fever are the hosts.
Nevertheless it’s an enormous mistake that the NBA had no backup plan reasonably than hoping to land Clark. It looks like its sole plan hoped that Clark modified her thoughts, reasonably than reaching out to somebody like three-time All-Star and 2024 gold medalist Kelsey Plum of the Los Angeles Sparks or legend Diana Taurasi. Clark could also be the most well-liked WNBA participant, however she’s not the one star.
Final yr’s contest was a thriller, with Curry not catching the New York Liberty star till the penultimate ball of the competition, narrowly defeating her, 29-26. It ended up offering extra drama than the common Three-Level Contest, the place Damian Lillard defended his title — with a final-round rating that was worse than what Curry achieved.
Maybe that is the true cause behind the NBA’s failure to convey again its greatest All-Star occasion. Curry battling Ionescu was extra compelling than the standard Three-Level Contest, stealing an excessive amount of thunder from the NBA’s occasion.
However with the NBA continually tinkering with the codecs to each a part of All-Star Weekend, it appears like commissioner Adam Silver and his workforce tried to repair one thing that wasn’t damaged — and ended up breaking it totally.
