Stephen Curry previews 3-Point Challenge vs. Sabrina Ionescu
Stephen Curry looks ahead to tonight's 3-Point Challenge against WNBA superstar Sabrina Ionescu as part of State Farm All-Star Saturday Night.
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Periodically, NBA.com’s writers will weigh in on key storylines or trending topics around the league.
The busiest night of All-Star Weekend will feature four events. Who do you think will win each of the competitions during State Farm All-Star Saturday Night (8 ET, TNT)?
Steve Aschburner
- Kia Skills Challenge = Team Pacers
- Starry 3-Point Contest = Trae Young
- Stephen vs. Sabrina = Stephen Curry
- AT&T Slam Dunk = Jaylen Brown
The home-market crew should benefit from added adrenaline, extra incentive to please the crowd and the cheering that the fans inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse do for them. Trae Young always seems to perform with a chip on his shoulder and I expect no difference here. I’m eager to see Sabrina’s 3-point proficiency (a smaller ball has better clearance entering the rim, of course) but I think Curry’s comfort level on this stage carries the evening.
And I’m picking Brown for the dunk contest based only on what I’ve seen from him in games. (For the record, I hope I live long enough to someday see this event run with a guy like Rudy Gobert planted at the rim, challenging every attempt.)
Brian Martin
- Kia Skills Challenge = Team Pacers
- Starry 3-Point Contest = Damian Lillard
- Stephen vs. Sabrina = Sabrina Ionescu
- AT&T Slam Dunk = Jaylen Brown
Feeding off the home crowd, I’ve got Team Pacers being the third straight home squad to win the Kia Skills Challenge. While history would suggest otherwise, I’m calling for the first repeat 3-point champ in 16 years as Lillard becomes the first to successfully defend the title since Jason Kapono (2008, ’09).
Ionescu already owns the best 3-point contest performance ever and if she can knock off Curry head-to-head, her legend will be cemented. This AT&T Slam Dunk pick is a hope as much as a prediction. I want Brown to win the dunk contest so future All-Stars will enter the Saturday night events to add more star power to the night.
Shaun Powell
- Kia Skills Challenge = Team All-Stars
- Starry 3-Point Contest = Karl-Anthony Towns
- Stephen vs. Sabrina = Stephen Curry
- AT&T Slam Dunk = Mac McClung
Jaime Jaquez Jr. will stun you with his dunking skills as his high school dunks sizzled on social media. But Mac McClung will defend his title because he didn’t even perform his best dunks last year and still won. In the Starry 3-Point Contest, Towns will reclaim the title he won in 2022 and prove he’s still the league’s best-shooting big man. It’ll be close, though, against Trae Young and Damian Lillard.
In the Kia Skills Challenge, go with Team All-Stars with Young, Tyrese Maxey and Scottie Barnes (even though Team Pacers will have a home-court advantage). As for Stephen vs. Sabrina, I see Curry barely winning the friendly shooting battle of the sexes against Ionescu.
John Schuhmann
- Kia Skills Challenge = Team Pacers
- Starry 3-Point Contest = Malik Beasley
- Stephen vs. Sabrina = Sabrina Ionescu
- AT&T Slam Dunk = Jacob Toppin
Team Pacers and Malik Beasley are the first picks because the guess here is that they’ll take their competitions most seriously. Ionescu wasn’t just on fire in last year’s WNBA 3-point contest — she also had a terrific shooting postseason and will have you thinking she’s never going to miss. It’s hard to pick against Mac McClung’s vertical, but Jacob Toppin has got some ups, too, with a little flair to boot.
Michael C. Wright
- Kia Skills Challenge = Team Top Picks
- Starry 3-Point Contest = Damian Lillard
- Stephen vs. Sabrina = Stephen Curry
- AT&T Slam Dunk = Mac McClung
The shortest man (McClung) in the competition repeats as the AT&T Slam Dunk champion because his jams will look more impressive. Meanwhile, the tallest man (Victor Wembanyama) in the Kia Skills Challenge helps Team Top Picks walk away victorious given his guard-like skillset and ability to cover a ton of ground in a hurry.
The Starry 3-Point Contest is where it gets interesting. Tyrese Haliburton and Karl-Anthony Towns won’t have to work as hard as Lillard since they don’t get a lot of lift off the floor on their shots. So, they’ll be less fatigued and able to reset faster to get back on target. Curry carries his recent three-game heater into this one against a strong opponent in Sabrina Ionescu.