Sabrina Ionescu Nearly Breaks 3-Point Record to Become 2nd Ever Player with Multiple Wins

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu made her return to the 3-point contest at the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis.

Sabrina Ionescu Nearly Breaks 3-Point Record to Become 2nd Ever Player with Multiple Wins

Sabrina Ionescu wins second WNBA 3-point contest (Image via FirstSportz)

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The 2025 WNBA All-Star Starry 3-point contest was supposed to be the first battle between Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu. Fans were left disappointed when the Indiana Fever guard’s injury prevented her from participating in this event.

Since the Fever were hosting this year’s All-Star weekend, the league decided that Clark’s teammate and close friend, Lexie Hull, was going to take her place. It would be tough to perform well without a lot of practice, but the league still needed a Fever player to compete.

That lack of practice and unfamiliarity with how to approach the competition ultimately became her undoing, as she was unable to score enough points to qualify for the finals. Rookie Sonia Citron finished last, after overcoming jitters in her first appearance.

Kelsey Plum missed a crucial shot, which could have led to a 3-way battle for the finals. Then last year’s winner, Allisha Gray, scored enough to advance into the finals to face Ionescu. It would be a battle between the previous two winners.

The New York Liberty guard had earlier stated that the tightly packed WNBA regular season schedule did not allow her to practice for this year’s contest. Sabrina Ionescu used the 1st two rounds as practice, doing enough to reach the finals.

In the final round, the 27-year-old went on a heater. After missing her 1st two, she went on a spree of consecutive shots, with most of them from her moneyball rack. She even drained the Starry Night balls and ended up with 30 points.

This was 7 shy of her WNBA-NBA record-setting display two years ago, but still would be tied for the second best score in the competition’s history across both leagues. This win makes her the second ever women’s basketball star to win the competition multiple times.

Sabrina Ionescu to share winnings with rookie

By winning the 2025 WNBA All-Star Starry 3-point contest, Sabrina Ionescu won $60K from Starry, the sponsors of the event. After the event, reporters asked the champion what she would do with the winnings.

Sabrina Ionescu helping rookie Sonia Citron practice for 3-point contest
Sabrina Ionescu helping rookie Sonia Citron practice for 3-point contest (Image via WNBA/X)

I told Sonia (Citron) that I would give her half if I won when we were sitting on the bench. As being the only rookie, she was nervous, I was nervous for her. I have to hold up my end of the bargain. So half is going to go to her, just for participating. The other half will go to my foundation.

Sabrina Ionescu said

The 4-time All-Star understands how difficult this competition is for a rookie, which is why she would send half of her winnings to the Washington Mystics star. This was a great gesture, considering she earns enough from her endorsements.

Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud help Liberty sweep All-Star events

Sabrina Ionescu won the 3-point contest, which was the second of the events of the night. Before that, the Kia Skills challenge took place, featuring some of the best guards in the league. Amongst the competitors was Ionescu’s New York Liberty teammate, Natasha Cloud.

One of the most vocal voices in the league, Cloud, made her mark by posting a blistering time in the 1st round. In the final round, she faced a longtime member of the Indiana Fever, and current Seattle Storm guard, Erica Wheeler.

Wheeler’s final round saw her start fast, but she struggled to get the last 3-pointer to fall, slowing her down. Cloud did not have such problems, and used her skill and agility, and recent shooting form to end up winning.

She was also the loudest cheerleader when Ionescu was going through her motions in the 3-point contest. The duo’s wins help the New York Liberty sweep the night’s festivities. Cloud was grateful for the $55K, as it would help fund her goal to buy a house.

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