Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu addresses absence from WNBA 3-point contest: 'Never officially got invited'

The lineup for this year’s WNBA All-Star 3-point contention has been a talking constituent successful the sports satellite since it was announced. New York Liberty defender Sabrina Ionescu was among the astir notable players absent from the yearly competition.

Ionescu addressed the speculation up of Wednesday’s Liberty-Sky matchup, pushing backmost against reports that she chose not to enactment successful this weekend’s WNBA 3-point contention successful Chicago. "I can't diminution an connection I ne'er got officially invited to. So was beauteous amazed to spot that. Never got invited," the defending 3-point contention champion told reporters during her pregame media availability.

Caitlin Clark and Kayla McBride were besides among the high-profile stars who reportedly declined invitations to the competition.

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New York Liberty defender Sabrina Ionescu competing successful the Kia WNBA Skills Challenge and WNBA STARRY 3-Point Contest connected July 18, 2025, astatine Gainbridge Fieldhouse successful Indianapolis, Indiana. (Mike Lawrence/NBAE via Getty Images)

"Whether it's against Steph Curry oregon successful the W, I ever spell retired and effort and bushed my record, each azygous clip I've gone out." Ionescu has won the 3-point contention twice, highlighted by her record-setting 37-point show successful 2023.

"I conscionable benignant of wanted to acceptable the grounds straight," she continued. "Like that was conscionable false, but I'm truly excited for the participants successful it, and evidently there's going to beryllium a caller winner, truthful I'm excited to spot who wins."

Ionescu aboriginal referenced her erstwhile 3-point showdown with Stephen Curry erstwhile asked a follow-up astir the issue, "Maybe I'll bash it with Steph again astatine NBA All-Star and get a truly bully authoritative invite."

New York Liberty defender Sabrina Ionescu celebrates aft winning the WNBA Starry 3-Point Contest connected July 18, 2025 astatine Gainbridge Fieldhouse successful Indianapolis, Indiana. (A.J. Mast/NBAE via Getty Images)

The confirmed database of 3-point contention participants includes: Dallas' Azzi Fudd, Atlanta's Rhyne Howard, Golden State's Janelle Salaün, Portland's Bridget Carleton, Toronto's Marina Mabrey and Seattle's Natisha Hiedeman. Howard and Mabrey are the lone players successful that radical with anterior 3-point contention acquisition astatine All-Star weekend.

Earlier this week, Ionescu refuted a study that she had opted retired of this year’s festivities, commenting "lies" nether a since-deleted Bleacher Report Instagram post. McBride besides weighed successful via societal media, saying her cause had texted her astir the lawsuit successful the 48 hours earlier her Instagram Story post, but that nary ceremonial invitation ever came.

"Posting things similar I'm acrophobic of shooting fume is weird and if you didn't perceive it from maine prob shouldn't judge it," McBride wrote. "We should absorption connected the large shooters successful it already!!! Because there's immoderate killas successful there."

New York Liberty defender Sabrina Ionescu competes successful the WNBA STARRY 3-Point Contest during the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star play astatine Gainbridge Fieldhouse successful Indianapolis, Indiana, connected July 18, 2025. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

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Despite dealing with an ankle wounded aboriginal this season, Ionescu entered Wednesday night’s crippled averaging 13.8 points per crippled implicit 14 appearances.

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