Ionescu wins 3-point contest, Cloud claims skills competition in Liberty All-Star sweep

Sabrina Ionescu put on another shooting clinic to win the 3-point contest for the second time at All-Star weekend on Friday night.

INDIANAPOLIS — Sabrina Ionescu put on another shooting clinic to win the 3-point contest for the second time at All-Star weekend on Friday night.

The Liberty’s star guard, who also won the title in 2023 with a record performance, had a strong final round, scoring 30 points to beat defending champion Allisha Gray. It completed a New York sweep of the night with Liberty teammate Natasha Cloud winning the skills competition.

“It’s fun, I was so excited for her, we were talking about it before we even came out here,” Ionescu said. “About being able to participate in it together and cheer each other on.”

Ionescu’s effort was less than her record-breaking mark of 37 two years ago when she made 25 of 27 shots — the most ever in either the WNBA or NBA. The total of 30 matched the second-highest in the event, matching Allie Quigley’s mark. Quigley is the only other player to win the contest more than once, doing it four times.

Ionescu didn’t participate in last year’s WNBA All-Star 3-point contest as she was focused on getting ready for the Olympics. But she was in Indianapolis for the NBA one, competing against Steph Curry in a special shootout. She fell just short then, but wouldn’t lose again in Indianapolis.