Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu breaks 3-point contest record for WNBA and NBA, surpassing Steph Curry

Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty competes in the final round of the three-point contest during the WNBA's all-star weekend on Friday at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu electrified the crowd Friday by hitting 20 straight shots and scoring a record 37 of a possible 40 points to win the three-point shooting contest during WNBA all-star weekend in a performance that will be incredibly difficult to match.She made 25 of 27 shots in Las Vegas to break the event record for the WNBA and NBA — and nearly meeting her own high standards."Shouldn't have missed two," Ionescu said. "It was the final round. I had just lost in the skills. I wasn't going to lose again."RIDICULOUS! @sabrina_i20 https://t.co/djeRmwh3UO—@StephenCurry30The Las Vegas Aces' team of Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum won the skills competition with a time of 44.3 seconds in the final round, easily beating the 58.0 put up by the Ionescu and Liberty team

A person who loves writing, loves novels, and loves life.Seeking objective truth, hoping for world peace, and wishing for a world without wars.

Blogger Jul 15, 2023 Add to Reading List

Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu breaks 3-point contest record for WNBA and NBA, surpassing Steph Curry

A female basketball player supports the ball with her right hand as she leaps up to shoot during a three-point contest in an arena filled with fans. — Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty competes in the final round of the three-point contest during the WNBA's all-star weekend on Friday at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu electrified the crowd Friday by hitting 20 straight shots and scoring a record 37 of a possible 40 points to win the three-point shooting contest during WNBA all-star weekend in a performance that will be incredibly difficult to match.

She made 25 of 27 shots in Las Vegas to break the event record for the WNBA and NBA — and nearly meeting her own high standards.

"Shouldn't have missed two," Ionescu said. "It was the final round. I had just lost in the skills. I wasn't going to lose again."

RIDICULOUS! @sabrina_i20 https://t.co/djeRmwh3UO
—@StephenCurry30

The Las Vegas Aces' team of Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum won the skills competition with a time of 44.3 seconds in the final round, easily beating the 58.0 put up by the Ionescu and Liberty teammate Courtney Vandersloot.

In the three-point contest, Ionescu beat the Seattle Storm's Sami Whitcomb and the Dallas Wings' Arike Ogunbowale in the final. Whitcomb had 24 points and Ogunbowale 11.

"I knew they were going in," Ionescu said. "I was telling my agents over there, I didn't even wait for the ball to get through the net. As soon as I shot it, it looked good and I just went down and kept grabbing [basketballs] and was listening to the fans as they were cheering, knowing that they went in. So they were my validation."

Liberty extend former WNBA top pick Sabrina Ionescu through 2025

Brittney Griner's 9 all-star selections most of any of the 2023 starters

Allie Quigley, who has won a record four three-point contests, including the past two, is not playing this season. Her absence cleared the way for someone else to step up.

Ionescu did more than just that, beating Quigley's mark of 30 points set just last year.

"UNBELIEVABLE!!! This record won't ever be broken," Quigley tweeted.

Ionescu also bested the Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton from earlier this year and Stephen Curry's NBA record of 31 points set in 2021, and the Golden State Warriors' star shooter noticed.

"RIDICULOUS!" Curry tweeted at Ionescu.

Ionescu posed for a photo imitating Curry's famous lights-out pose while holding her newly won trophy. She also jokingly challenged him to a "shoot out."