Caitlin Clark and Klay Thompson could be the latest additions to the NBA’s All-Star Weekend three-point shooting competition. Last year, Sabrina Ionescu and Steph Curry faced off in the first-of-its-kind challenge, with Curry edging out the WNBA superstar 29-26. This year, Clark and Thompson could be joining the competition.
Caitlin Clark could participate in NBA All-Star Weekend in first-of-its-kind competition
Clark, Sabrina Ionescu could reportedly face Steph Curry, Klay Thompson in NBA All-Star Weekend three-point contest.
Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images
Noa Dalzell is a senior writer covering the WNBA and all of women’s basketball for Breakaway, SB Nation’s women’s sports vertical, as well as the Celtics for CelticsBlog.
On Friday night, ESPN insider Shams Charania said the competition could expand to include the WNBA Rookie of the Year and the four-time NBA champion.
“Sources tell me that Curry and Ionescu are continuing discussions on bringing back that shootout,” Charania said. “There is plans for that. But also, potentially including Klay Thompson and Caitlin Clark in that competition this year.”
The “Steph vs Sabrina” three-point competition was conceived after Sabrina Ionescu recorded 37 points (out of a possible 40) in the 2023 WNBA All-Star contest. The 37-point mark set both a WNBA and an NBA single-round record,.
In turn, Ionescu challenged Curry — the NBA’s all-time three-point leader — to a three-point contest, and event that was widely considered one of the highlights of the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.
Both Clark and Thompson’s additions would be fitting — Clark set the WNBA rookie record for most three-pointers in a single season with 122 threes this past season. That’s the second most threes made by a WNBA player in a single season, second to only Ionescu, who holds the record for most threes in a single-season (124).
Thompson, meanwhile, holds the NBA record for most three-pointers made in a single game (14). Thompson and Curry won four NBA championships as teammates, and their temporary reunification as teammates for this contest would add another layer of intrigue.
It’s not the only potential twist to NBA All-Star weekend — Charania also reported that the league is considering replace the All-Star Game with a four-team, tournament-style format made up of three All-Star teams and the winner of the Rising Stars game. The two winners of the first game would face off in a final match.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but having Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu square off against Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in a three-point shootout could serve as the highlight of NBA All-Star Weekend, which will take place from February 16 to 18 in Chase Center.
