in this unique Three-Point Challenge on NBA All-Star Saturday Night on TNT
It would take a significant event to eclipse the excitement that the National Basketball Association All-Star Weekend typically brings. The NBA has grown into a worldwide sport, fans of all ages from nearly every country around the world tune in to watch the NBA All-Star Weekend. On Saturday night, they had a chance to enjoy something different that separated the 73rd annual All-Star weekend from their historical past. New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu challenging Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry to a three-point shootout captures the minds of hoopers across the globe.
As the world’s best athletes descended in Indianapolis, fans from all around tuned in to see the best athletes in the world perform on one of the biggest stages available. This event not only brings out the best athletes in the world. The legends of the game and some of the most notable entertainers from across the globe come out to enjoy the festivities of NBA All-Star Saturday night.
For years the staple of the NBA All-Star weekend has always been the Dunk Contest. Yet with many of the game all-stars not participating, this event has lost its luster. The NBA Skills competition continues to be a work in progress, yet as the three-point shot has become more critical to today’s game, the three-point contest continues to ascend in the eyes of many basketball fans.
Matt McClung defended his Dunk Contest Championship, against an unimpressive field. Shout out to Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown for participating though he needs to encourage more of his peers to participate. The host of this year’s festivities, the Indiana Pacers group won the Skills competition, and Milwaukee Buck’s Damian Lillard would win the Three-Point shootout. However, fans were eager to see how Ionescu’s challenge of Curry, the NBA’s All-Time Three-Point shot maker, would play out, making this All-Star weekend so unique.
The NBA has incorporated the WNBA into the NBA All-Star weekend previously, and many believe they should do more of this. But this was something special. Last July, Ionescu won the WNBA’s 3-point contest by knocking down 20 consecutive shots to score a record 37 of the possible 40 points. Her record-breaking round snapped Curry’s previous record round of 31. After her incredible round, she facetiously challenged the NBA’s three-point king to a shootout. As any competitor would, Curry, the four-time NBA champion, willingly accepted the challenge.
The NBA’s marketing arm would not miss this opportunity to slip through their fingers. The most recent All-Star Weekend would bring two of the world’s best three-point shooters together to decide this matter on the court. This event would not only unite the WNBA and the NBA once again, it would inspire others to elevate their game.
After Damian Lillard was crowned as the three-point champion. Ionescu and Curry would similarly get one minute on the clock and five racks of balls, with five balls on each rack. Five of those balls would be designated money balls worth two points each and could be placed anywhere on the rack at the shooter’s discretion, including two Starry balls with two points each.
They would each get one round to decide who would walk away with the Three Point Shooting Championship Belt that was unveiled just before the event. Ionescu opened her round, hitting nine of her first ten shots. Though she missed her two Starry money balls, she would finish with 26 points, putting the pressure on Curry and setting a high bar. Though Curry would miss two of his first three shots, he would finish by hitting nine of his ten final shots to overtake Ionescu’s total and finish with 29 points.
Not only were hoops fans winners in this competition, but both Ionescu and Curry’s foundations benefited from this competition as well. Ionescu’s SI20 Foundation and Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation will each receive a $25,000 donation. Their combined 55 points in this shooting competition triggered a donation of $55,000 to the NBA’s Foundation from State Farm.
“I think a night like tonight shows a lot of young girls and boys, if you can shoot, you can shoot,” Ionescu said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a girl or a boy, I think it just matters the heart that you have in wanting to be the best you can be.”
The SI20 Foundation established by Ionescu, is meant to equip youth from all backgrounds and skill levels with equitable access to sports that create genuine connections and build stronger communities for life. The foundation plans to break down the biggest barriers preventing youth from accessing sports while setting them up with the molds of success they will utilize throughout their lives. Carrying the candid Platinum Seal of Transparency, and is a fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a Charity Navigator Four-Star Charity that meets all 20 Better Business Bureau charity standards.
“This could’ve have gone any better, in the sense if us two taking a chance in front of this stage, one round with all the hype and to deliver like that,” Curry said, “She set the bar, and it was unbelievable to watch. This might be something we need to do more often.”
Founded by Stephen and Ayesha Curry in 2019, the Eat. Learn. Play. The foundation focuses on improving the lives of kids and families in Oakland, the Bay Area, and across the country. They are dedicated to unleashing the potential of every child, paving the way for amazing kids, and opening doors to bright futures. Rooted in three of the most vital pillars for a healthy childhood—nutrition, education, and physical activity—Eat. Learn. Play. Another goal of theirs is to ensure every child in Oakland has access to the nutritious food they need to be healthy and thrive; resources to learn and love to read; and safe places and equitable opportunities to play.
The NBA’s Foundation was developed in August 2020 and is the league’s first-ever charitable foundation, dedicated to driving economic opportunity for Black youth. The Foundation invests in local and national organizations that promote school-to-career and workforce development opportunities. You can find more information about their goals by visiting www.nbafoundation.com.
