Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu’s three-point matchup may return with a twist.
The NBA and WNBA debuted a new 3-point contest during the 2024 NBA All-Star weekend that saw Curry and Ionescu go head-to-head. Curry ultimately won the inaugural contest, but Ionescu stayed close. It was widely considered a success and could return in 2-on-2 action.
Curry and fellow “Splash Brother” Klay Thompson would face Ionescu and Caitlin Clark in 2025. according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
“At this point, Stephen Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu is very likely next year.” charania reported. “Next year’s All-Star weekend will be in the Bay Area, in San Francisco, at the Chase Center in 2025.
“They told me, with Caitlin Clark and potentially Klay Thompson, to make it 2 on 2: Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, his Splash Brother. I was told that Steph Curry specifically mentioned the possibility of having Klay Thompson in this competition for next year Could a guy like Damian Lillard also be a candidate to join Steph Curry?
“But those two guys potentially against Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark, those are all conversations that will continue in the coming months.”
“At this point, it’s very likely that Stephen Curry will face Sabrina Ionescu next year… I’ve been told, along with Caitlin Clark and potentially Klay Thompson, to go 2-on-2.”
The NBA looks to up the ante for next year’s All-Star weekend ?
(through @RunItBackFDTV)pic.twitter.com/2XuZDWLXw2
– Clutch Points (@ClutchPoints) April 2, 2024
The Warriors will host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2025, so it would give local fans a chance to see Curry and Thompson team up in a 3-point contest.
Ionescu, who is entering her fifth WNBA season, would play alongside Clark, the expected No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Format of Stephen Curry’s 3-point challenge against Sabrina Ionescu
The Curry vs. 3-point contest Ionescu debuted during the 2024 NBA All-Star weekend in Indiana and adopted the same format as the normal 3-point contest.
There were five racks placed around the 3-point arc with five balls each, one of which was the money ball. One rack had five money balls that could be placed in any of five locations.
Each player also had two “STARRY Range” shots available from 29 feet, nine inches away.
The question heading into the challenge was whether Ionescu would shoot from the WNBA or NBA 3-point line. She chose to shoot from the NBA line.
“That decision to step up to the NBA line was something I wanted to do from the beginning,” Ionescu said. “Keep pushing the boundaries and leveling the playing field. And knowing that I had the opportunity to do that in terms of choosing where I wanted to shoot from and continuing to move the needle in that direction is what I wanted to do.
“No matter how challenging or difficult that decision seems, I prefer to fight for what I believe I am capable of doing.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvMfAE5ttn4
The only difference was that Ionescu used WNBA balls, while Curry used NBA balls.
Stephen Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu 3-Point Challenge Results
Curry and Ionescu did not disappoint in their inaugural NBA vs. 3-point matchup. WNBA.
Both snipers had previously won a three-point contest. Curry won twice in 2015 and 2021, and Ionescu won in 2023. Ionescu set an NBA and WNBA record with 37 of 40 points in the final round of the WNBA 3-Point Contest.
She didn’t live up to that ridiculous outing, but she was still one of the best shooters of the night. Ionescu scored 26 points, which would have been enough to reach the final. However, Curry won the challenge with 29 points.
Stephen Curry, Sabrina Ionescu, Klay Thompson, Caitlin Clark Three-Point Shooting Stats
With the NBA vs. three-point challenge. WNBA potentially expanding to add Thompson and Clark in a 2-on-2 contest, here’s a look at how the players compare in three-point shooting:
| Player | Career | 2023-24 |
| Stephen Curry | 42.5% | 40.3% |
| Klay Thompson | 41.3% | 38.2% |
| Sabrina Ionescu | 37.7% | 44.8% |
| Caitlin Clark | 37.8% | 38.0% |
