New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu refuted media reports suggesting she had turned down an invitation to participate in the 2026 WNBA 3-point contest. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, Ionescu clarified that she had not declined any offer because she had never received an official invitation in the first place. She expressed disappointment over the inaccurate reporting and reiterated her competitive nature, noting that she consistently seeks to improve her performance whenever given the opportunity to compete, whether against fellow WNBA players or NBA talent.
An ESPN report released on Tuesday had indicated that Ionescu, along with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride, had all declined contest invitations. Ionescu holds a track record of accomplishment in the event, having won the competition last year. In 2023, she set a record with a score of 37, making 25 of 27 attempts with an impressive 20 consecutive makes. This performance holds records in both the WNBA and NBA. She also participated in a notable cross-league showdown with Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry at the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend.
McBride also addressed the declining narrative, indicating that her invitation process had been informal and unofficial. She stated she received a text message through her agent approximately 48 hours prior but characterized it as insufficiently formal. McBride currently leads the WNBA with 796 career 3-pointers and expressed frustration with the framing of her response to the invitation.
Regarding Clark, the status of her invitation remained unclear at the time of reporting. Clark, who joined the league in 2024 after being the leading scorer in NCAA Division I history, had declined a participation invitation during her rookie season. She had been scheduled to compete last year but missed both the contest and the All-Star Game due to a groin injury.
The event, scheduled for Friday night at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, will feature participants including No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd and Marina Mabrey, who leads the league in 3-pointers made during the current season.
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