Indianapolis witnessed a three-point showdown for the ages last year when Sabrina Ionescu went toe-to-toe with the greatest shooter of all time, Stephen Curry. While Curry edged her out 29-26, the real victory was for women’s basketball. Ionescu’s performance silenced any doubters, proving that the best in the WNBA can go shot for shot with the NBA’s elite.

Naturally, fans had been buzzing with anticipation for a rematch at this year’s All-Star Weekend at Chase Center. Even NBA Commissioner Adam Silver fueled the excitement when he hinted at its return earlier this season, saying, “I can’t remember if they’ve formally committed or informally committed, but they know they’re going to be doing this again.”

But just when fans thought they were in for another legendary showdown, the dream rematch was officially shut down. “We weren’t able to land on a plan we thought would raise the bar off of last year’s special moment,” said NBA chief communications officer Mike Bass. “We all agreed not to proceed and will instead keep the focus on All-Star Sunday’s new format.” It’s a tough pill to swallow for those hoping to see Ionescu and Curry trade threes once again!

While the rematch isn’t happening, Sabrina Ionescu is still making headlines as she returns to the Bay Area for NBA All-Star Weekend, right where she grew up! The Walnut Creek native is giving back in a big way, with her SI20 Foundation donating 300 laptops to students at a local school. Sports writer Geoff Magliocchetti took to X to share the heartwarming news, proving that while Ionescu may not be battling Curry this weekend, she’s still making a huge impact in the community.

So, is the dream three-point contest officially dead? Or is there still hope for a future showdown? Fans have been left wondering if we’ll ever see Curry vs. Ionescu: Round 2 after this year’s disappointment. Let’s dive into what we know so far and whether this epic battle could still happen down the line!

Sabrina hopes to face Curry again!

It is quite clear that both Sabrina and Curry are interested in repeating last year’s competition. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver himself hinted at plans to expand the showdown, saying, “I think as soon as they walked off the court after the competition last year, in fact, they said we need more than one round to make it even fairer. So we’re going to be doing more things.”

All the parties were still involved in discussions trying to elevate the competition to the next level. Reports suggested that a star-studded showdown featuring two-time 3-point champion Stephen Curry teaming up with Sabrina Ionescu to take on three-time champ Damian Lillard and WNBA sensation Caitlin Clark could be brewing!

Unfortunately for fans, this dream matchup will have to wait for a bit. Caitlin Clark has officially ruled herself out, declining the invitation to participate in the NBA All-Star game, a decision confirmed by Silver himself. The Indiana Fever’s 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year had already opted out of the WNBA’s 2024 All-Star 3-point shootout, making it clear back in January that her first professional 3-point contest will take place at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend in her hometown of Indianapolis.

Fans will undoubtedly miss the exciting Sabrina vs. Curry rematch this year. But there’s hope that it will happen in the upcoming years and when it does, we not only get to see these two in action but also get to witness Caitlin Clark in the mix as well! A man is allowed to dream right?