In the course of the 2024 NBA All-Star festivities, Golden State Warriors legend Stephen Curry took on the New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu in a three-point shoot-off.
To place issues bluntly, it was absolutely the spotlight of your entire NBA All-Star weekend final yr. Two stars on the high of their capturing talents going head-to-head to settle the traditional males vs. ladies debate? It was must-watch tv.
Curry finally defeated Ionescu, however each shooters placed on an amazing present. Curry completed the competition with 29 factors whereas Ionescu had 26 factors. They didn’t miss many photographs.
Sadly, the occasion isn’t taking place this yr. The reasoning appears considerably unclear.
“We weren’t in a position to land on a plan we thought would increase the bar off of final yr’s particular second,” the NBA launched in an announcement. “All of us agreed to not proceed and can as an alternative preserve the concentrate on All-Star Sunday’s new format.”
That is perhaps essentially the most obscure clarification ever. There was nothing improper with the format final yr. Ionescu is from the San Francisco Bay Space, the place the NBA All-Star festivities will happen this weekend. That provides to the insult that this occasion received’t be taking place once more.
Just a few weeks in the past, Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark declined an invite to take part within the NBA Three-Level Contest. Understandably, Clark expressed that her need is to have her first three-point competitors happen within the WNBA. Conveniently, the subsequent WNBA All-Star sport will happen at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the place Clark’s Fever play.
Possibly the league had hoped that Clark and Ionescu may staff up towards Curry and whoever received the NBA Three-Level Contest. That might have been large leisure. It’s comprehensible why Clark doesn’t wish to take part—and perhaps Ionescu handed on the chance as properly—however the league ought to discover a technique to make this idea work.
You realize they’re determined to deliver eyeballs again to their All-Star Weekend in the event that they’re making an attempt to usher in high feminine gamers. Maybe a collaboration with the WNBA may very well be one of the best for either side to extend visibility.
We’ve all heard the criticisms surrounding the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, which constantly falls flat in comparison with how nice the occasion was in many years previous. The All-Star Recreation itself is pointless—not actually, after all, as it will likely be the least aggressive basketball you’ll ever discover.
This season’s wrinkle to the NBA All-Star format was letting the “Contained in the NBA” crew draft 4 groups in a tournament-style setup. That’s the extent that anyone ought to know or care about Sunday’s sport.
Curry vs. Ionescu was the spotlight in 2024, and it will have been the spotlight once more in 2025. It’s a bummer that it received’t occur. There’s at all times subsequent yr, hopefully.
