WNBA All-Star weekend kicks off Friday with the skills competition, but Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark notably aren’t participating in the 3-Point Contest.
Recently acquired Connecticut Sun guard Marina Mabrey will participate in both the skills challenge and the 3-point contest, but fans were left perplexed when the five-player field didn’t include the game’s most high-profile shooters.
Ionescu, who won last year’s contest after making a record 37 threes, is taking part in Olympic camp as the United States prepares its attempt to win its 10th straight gold medal. Team USA will take on the WNBA All-Star team in an exhibition Saturday, and while Clark will play in the game at Footprint Center, she had an understandable reason to not go all out during All-Star weekend.
“Yeah, honestly, I just think rest. I’ve been playing basketball for a year straight,” Clark told reporters Friday, per Chloe Peterson of IndyStar Sports. “It’s not an easy thing to just show up and shoot off a rack. It’s not something I’ve ever done before. It’s not something I’ve had a lot of time to practice. I’ve been focusing on helping my team win games. So I think enjoying this break. I think there’s going to be plenty of opportunities for me to do that at some point. But at the same time, the field of competition we have in this competition is really good. They’re all near 40% shooters. I’m excited for them. I’ll be there supporting them. It’ll be fun.”
It was only a week after Clark played in the national championship that she was drafted by the Indiana Fever, and the WNBA season quickly began. It might be why Clark only is shooting 32.7% from the 3-point line this season compared to a career 37.7% in college. The WNBA season will be off for a month due to the Olympics, so Clark and other non-Olympians will get an extended break.
The prize money to compete in the contest was raised this year. According to the WNBA’s most recent collective bargaining agreement, players earned $1,030 for participating in the 3-point contest, with the winner receiving $2,575. But WNBA president and Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike posted on X this week that insurance company Aflac is “supplementing the league’s pay” and adding $55,000 to the winners’ payouts for the skills challenge and 3-point contest.
Fans will get to see Clark team up with fellow rookie sensation Angel Reese as they hope to lead Team WNBA against Team USA on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
