With the All-Star weekend just around the corner, the internet is buzzing with excitement over the new events introduced this year. Among these, perhaps the most electrifying is the 3-point contest pitting the NBA’s all-time 3-point leader Stephen Curry, and the WNBA’s single-season 3-point record holder Sabrina Ionescu. Last year, Ionescu shattered all records after setting a new high for both the NBA and WNBA when she racked up 37 points out of a possible 40 in the Final Round of the WNBA 3-Point Contest. This is what set the stage for the showdown. And this is also the reason Klay Thomspon prefers Sabrina over his fellow Splash Brother Stephen Curry.
When asked to predict a winner for the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-point contest, Klay went with the New York Liberty star. He reasoned, “Since she set a record last year, I think she missed one.” As if this wasn’t enough, he further deepened the blow by adding, “Yeah, oh yeah, all day” when asked if Ionescu is better than Steph. Of course, Steph heard about it. The satisfaction of earning the bragging rights and rubbing it in Thompson’s face has only fueled his fire to win the 3-point contest.
In a recent video by the NBA, he said, “This is exactly why we should do this, especially for like the shooters. He knows what it takes to get the ball into the basket. He has been to the 3-point contest. He knows how ridiculous Sabrina’s record was. So he’s going with the champ; I am the contender. I can’t wait to walk back into the locker room and prove him wrong.”
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"I got the Bay Area's finest… Sabrina all day!"
Klay makes his pick… who do YOU have??
Stephen vs. Sabrina 3-PT Challenge: 8:00pm/et #StateFarmSaturday (2/17) on TNT 🌟 pic.twitter.com/33BaI1wNkJ
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2024
However, the Baby-Faced Assassin has more than one doubter to prove wrong. Take a look at all the NBA stars who made their picks for the Stephen Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu 3-point contest.
NBA stars make their pick for Steph vs. Sabrina
Ionescu has also earned a supporter in Dallas Mavericks’ guard Kyrie Irving, who echoed Thompson’s sentiment – Sabrina is returning to defend her crown, while Steph is the challenger. Therefore, when asked to make his pick, he gave a definitive answer. “I’m pulling for Sabrina. No disrespect to you, Steph. I love you big bro, but at the same time, she got the record. She’s coming to defend her title. You’re (Steph) coming to the competitive table to see if you can win. It’s going to be interesting,” said Kai.
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Steph might have lost a supporter in Klay, but he still has Draymond Green by his side. While he acknowledged how good of a long-range shooter Sabrina is, there is no one better than his ‘GOAT’ for him. He stated, “I got Steph, the greatest ever for a reason. Obviously, Sabrina is doing what she is doing, we all saw the 3-point contest last year where you broke all the records so it is definitely something to be excited about. But ofcourse, Steph is winning.
Draymond makes his pick 👀
Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu will go head-to-head in the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-point Challenge… #StateFarmSaturday (2/17) on TNT after #Starry3PT. pic.twitter.com/gfgtKHlCM0
— NBA (@NBA) February 13, 2024
Another Steph believer is his former teammate Kevin Durant. He first chose Steph for the win, but took his words back once Steph called him an “instigator.” But he later clarified that his loyalties still lie with Steph, “I’m going Steph. I said Steph first, then Steph kinda like disrespectfully called me an instigator so I went to Sabrina, but I’m gonna go back to Steph.”
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Watch This Story- When Did Stephen Curry Last Not Make a Three-Pointer in Game?
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It’s only a matter of time before we find out whose predictions are accurate. Meanwhile, make your picks in the comments below!
Read More: Mind Games Begin As Sabrina Ionescu Fiddles With Stephen Curry’s Plan Ahead Of All-Star Showdown