“They know they’re doing it" - Adam Silver drops major hint about return of Steph Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu 3-pt contest with additional participants
Back in the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend, Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu made history as they competed in the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-Point Challenge. It was a huge statement game, especially for the WNBA.
Ionescu proved to the world that there are some aspects of basketball that women can keep up with men. Sabrina put up a good fight against Curry, nearly shocking the world in a close bout, but ultimately came up short.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed interest in potentially running it back next NBA All-Star Weekend. According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic on Saturday, Silver dropped a major hint that we could see a rematch between Curry and Ionescu.
“They know they’re doing it,” Silver said.
The two athletes themselves stated that they'd love to compete against each other again. Commissioner Silver also expressed that he wants to see more competition between men and women in basketball.
“If we can get more participation, not just for the physical activity but for all the values it represents,” that’s what the NBA wants, Silver said. “And I think showcasing those kinds of activities where you see men and women both competing in basketball at All-Star events should increasingly become a big part of it.
"And incidentally when you look at the interest in terms of viewership last year, one of the highlights was that Sabrina-Steph shootout, so we do want to do more of that,” Silver continued.
It would definitely be interesting to see a few more talented three-point shooters from both the NBA and WNBA compete against each other. The format could either feature assigned players go at it in head-to-head competition or they could try playing under regular three-point shootout knockout rules. Whatever the case may be, we'll have to wait for what Adam Silver and the league come up with.
Steph Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu recap: Sabrina nearly shocks the world
Back in February, Sabrina Ionescu made history as she participated in the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-Point Challenge against Steph Curry. Ionescu and Curry are among the top 3-point shooters in their respective leagues. It was interesting to see if a female basketball player could keep up with the opposite sex.
True enough, Sabrina Ionescu nearly had Steph Curry beaten as the competition ended with just a three-point deficit. Ionescu was the first to shoot all five racks. The New York Liberty star immediately caught fire and didn't make it easy for Curry. She ended up with 26 points, proving that she's truly among the best shooters in basketball today.
When it was finally Steph Curry's turn to shoot out, it seemed like Ionescu had a chance of beating the four-time NBA champion. Ultimately, Steph came out on top with 29 points. Despite Curry coming out on top, their differential in scores had the basketball world respect Ionescu and the WNBA.