There can be no Stephen Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu rematch at All-Star Weekend.
The NBA introduced Thursday that the 3-point capturing occasion — one of many highlights of final yr’s All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis that introduced collectively two of the largest stars within the NBA and WNBA — is just not going to be a part of the lineup in San Francisco.
Talks went on for weeks to attempt to make it occur, even stretching into All-Star week itself. It appeared greater than logical {that a} rematch would happen: All-Star Weekend is on Curry’s residence ground, and Ionescu, who performs for the WNBA champion New York Liberty, is a Bay Space native who grew up watching Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
“We weren’t in a position to land on a plan we thought would increase the bar off of final yr’s particular second,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass stated. “All of us agreed to not proceed and can as an alternative maintain the give attention to All-Star Sunday’s new format.”
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Curry stated he needed the rematch to happen, and there have been talks of creating it a 2-on-2 format this yr doubtlessly involving Klay Thompson, Curry’s former Warriors teammate, and WNBA Rookie of the Yr Caitlin Clark.
However Clark’s representatives stated final month that she needed her first 3-point contest to return on the WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis and wouldn’t take part in a particular problem throughout NBA All-Star Weekend.
Because the 2-on-2 talks appeared to crumble, the NBA had hope of bringing some type of Curry vs. Ionescu again — doubtlessly even together with it in Sunday evening’s lineup between video games of the brand new All-Star mini-tournament moderately than having it’s a part of All-Star Saturday prefer it was a yr in the past.
“We have been speaking about discovering alternative ways to vary this up subsequent yr,” Ionescu stated after final yr’s occasion. “I believe he has a accomplice in thoughts that is going to hitch him. So I am open to any accomplice that might assist me win and take that belt that he has up entrance and middle away from him.”
Curry beat Ionescu 29-26 final season within the first such occasion of its form on the league’s weekend showcase. The competitors generated cash for his or her foundations.
Curry, 36, is a four-time NBA champion and the league’s all-time chief in each 3-point makes an attempt and makes, capturing a profession 42.4%. Ionescu, 27, is a 36.4% 3-point shooter via her first 5 WNBA seasons.
The Related Press and Area Stage Media contributed to this report.