The 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend commenced with an exciting display of talent when Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty made a mark by winning the 3-Point Contest for the second consecutive time. Having skipped the previous year’s competition after her victory in 2023, she made history again.

Allisha Gray, representing the Atlanta Dream, aimed to defend her titles in both the Skills Challenge and the 3-Point Contest, but despite reaching the finals, she faced disappointment. Natasha Cloud, also from the Liberty, won the Skills Challenge, helping her team to a clean sweep of the events.

In her moment of glory, Ionescu reminisced about her past close competition with NBA star Stephen Curry during a previous All-Star event, using it to fuel her performance this time around. She expressed relief and determination as she fought through challenges in a format that saw her scoring high under pressure.

Despite struggling initially, she advanced to the finals, where her experience shone through with a score of 30 points, once again proving her prowess from beyond the arc:

“Well, I’m pretty disappointed,” Ionescu said during her postgame interview. “I feel like I missed a few easy ones there that I definitely could have made, so I’m sorry about that.”

Allisha Gray, who was expected to defend her titles, struggled in the Skills Challenge due to missed passes, severely affecting her overall time, which did not suffice to qualify for the finals.

Highlighting their rivalry, Ionescu gave a nod of respect to Sonia Citron, a rookie, promising half of her prize money after the competition, which raised Citron’s spirits, given her performance as a newcomer.

There’s more to anticipate this weekend with the All-Star game ahead! Let’s delve into the outcomes and key moments from the contest.