It's official -- Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu will face off at the NBA's All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis on Feb. 17. "Stephen vs. Sabrina," as the contest is being called, will be the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-point challenge, the league announced on Tuesday. It is set to take place between the NBA's 3-Point Contest and Slam Dunk Contest on All-Star Saturday Night. The events that night will begin at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.
Over the past several months, the groundwork has been laid for the two shooting stars to face off in one final contest. Ionescu challenged Curry to a shooting contest on X, formerly known as Twitter, last July, and Curry indicated that he was up for the challenge.
"I gotta go after Sabrina's record," Curry said on ESPN at the time. "I've got something to shoot for now that she went crazy with the 37 points in their All-Star weekend. We've got to settle that for sure to see who's the best three-point competition shooter."
Well, the two shooters finally their wish.
The event will use standard 3-Point Contest rules, though Curry will use an NBA ball and NBA 3-point lines, while Ionescu will use a WNBA ball and WNBA 3-point lines. Each shot they make along the way will also raise money for "economic empowerment in the Black community." Each regular 3-pointer will be worth $1,000, each money ball $2,000 and each "STARRY Range Ball" -- a deep shot worth three points -- $3,000.
Who do you think owns the record for most points ever scored in a round at a professional 3-point contest? The obvious guess would be Curry, the Golden State Warriors legend and greatest shooter in NBA history. True, he's won the NBA's 3-point contest twice (2015 and 2021), but his best round ever pales in comparison to another.
The catch is that it didn't come in the NBA.
The all-time record for most points scored in a round at a 3-point contest belongs to New York Liberty guard Ionescu, who notched 37 points in July's WNBA 3-point contest.
The NBA's All-Star Weekend hasn't held quite the same appeal in recent years. The game is moving back to an East vs. West format after the experiment of having players draft their own teams failed. The dunk contest was losing interest as well before G-Leaguer Mac McClung won it last season.
Now, the NBA has another novel event to look forward to in Indianapolis. The NBA and WNBA's 3-point champions will face off for the ultimate shooting trophy.
