During All-Star weekend in Indianapolis, the pinnacle of 3-point marksmanship will be on display as Golden State Warriors luminary Steph Curry and New York Liberty standout Sabrina Ionescu square off in a thrilling showdown. This event, dubbed the Starry 3-Point Contest, pits two of the finest shooters from the and against each other in a battle for shooting supremacy.
Curry and Ionescu, widely regarded as elite shooters in their respective leagues, will vie for dominance over the 3-point line in a competition set to take place at Lucas Oil Stadium, following the conventional 3-point contest and preceding the Slam Dunk Contest.
Reflecting on the forthcoming showdown, Curry remarked, “However this unfolds, it epitomizes the essence of sports, doesn’t it? Competing, regardless of the format. She holds the title, so I’m the challenger. Let’s lay it all on the line.”
For Ionescu, sharing the court with Curry is a surreal moment, having idolized him since childhood. “He used to be my screensaver,” she recalled. “I adorned my room with his images. This opportunity is like a dream come true for any aspiring athlete.”
The genesis of this competition traces back to last summer’s All-Star weekend, where Ionescu set a record with an impressive 37 points. Following the event, Ionescu challenged Curry via Twitter, prompting him to accept the invitation and express his intent to surpass her record.
The contest’s initial plan involved Curry shooting from the 3-point line and Ionescu from the 3-point line. However, Ionescu opted to shoot from the line to level the playing field, citing her familiarity and regular practice from that range.
The competition adheres to standard 3-point contest rules with a minor alteration. Shooters have 70 seconds to attempt shots from five racks, each comprising five balls, including one rack entirely filled with “money balls” worth two points each. Additionally, there are two special “Starry range balls,” valued at three points each.
Curry will utilize balls, while Ionescu will use balls. The winner is determined by the highest point total at the end of the round.
Both Curry and Ionescu boast impressive career 3-point shooting percentages, underlining their prowess beyond the arc. Curry, recognized as the premier 3-point shooter in history, boasts a career average of 42.7%, while Ionescu has showcased her sharpshooting skills, particularly in the 2023 season, where she hit 44.8% of her 3-point attempts and claimed victory in the 3-Point Shootout.