Sabrina Ionescu will be returning home to the Bay Area for NBA All-Star this weekend, but don’t expect the Liberty star to participate in any of the on-court festivities.
After making history at last year’s All-Star Game in Indianapolis, Ionescu and Warriors star Stephen Curry are not bringing back their 3-point contest for a second year, an NBA spokesperson confirmed Thursday.
Ionescu and Curry — two of the best shooters in their respective leagues — went head-to-head in an epic 3-point shooting contest at the 2024 All-Star Game. Curry ultimately won the challenge with 29 points, besting Ionescu by three.
But Ionescu won’t be seeking redemption this weekend after several attempts to expand the competition fell through.
“We weren’t able to land on a plan we thought would raise the bar off of last year’s special moment,” NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said in a statement shared with The Post. “We all agreed not to proceed and will instead keep the focus on All-Star Sunday’s new format.”
Last month, Fever star Caitlin Clark was said to have declined the chance at participating in the 3-point competition at NBA All-Star.
Instead, the reigning Rookie of the Year plans to make her 3-point contest debut this summer at WNBA All-Star.
The news, first reported by The Athletic, puts an end to speculation regarding whether the Battle of the Sexes 3-point contest would happen.
Ionescu had skirted around questions regarding whether she’d be involved in another shootout competition as this year’s event is happening in her native Bay Area.
During Unrivaled’s opening weekend last month, Ionescu said she would be at NBA All-Star weekend, but didn’t divulge details of her schedule for the event.
As recently as last week, Ionescu told USA Today she would welcome the chance to square up against Curry again, but nothing was set in stone yet.
