Stephen Curry returns to the NBA All-Star weekend. Sabrina Ionescu will be waiting for you there.
The shootout they both wanted has officially become a reality, the NBA announced Tuesday. The confrontation “Stephen vs. Sabrina” will take place as part of the night before the All-Star Game, February 17, in Indianapolis.
Curry, the NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers, will face the current queen of three-point shooting in the WNBA. Ionescu also holds the record for most triples in a single season.
“The stage is set! Let’s do this!” Curry posted on social media.
Ionescu responded simply: “Let’s go!”
This grief has been brewing for months. On Thursday, a microphone was placed on Curry during Golden State’s game against Sacramento.
This revealed a conversation between the star and teammate Brandin Podziemski about Ionescu, who scored 37 points during a near-perfect display in the WNBA’s 3-point contest last summer. That number surpassed Curry’s best in the NBA contest, 31 points.
“I think I should challenge her,” Curry told Podziemski.
Ionescu responded on social media: “This must be done! See you at the three-point line.” In fact, it was she who launched the challenge. She posed for a photo imitating a famous Curry pose and held her trophy from the WNBA three-point event, raising the possibility of the duel.
The NBA is more than happy to make this possible.
Curry will shoot from the NBA’s three-point line and with the ball used in his league. Ionescu will shoot from the WNBA three-point distance, with the ball from her own circuit.
In addition to pride, a lot of charitable money will be at stake. Curry’s nonprofit Eat.Learn.Play and Ionescu’s SI20 Foundation will receive donations from the NBA and WNBA for their participation.
Every shot the contenders hit will contribute money from State Farm to the NBA Foundation “to support economic empowerment campaigns for the black community,” the league said.
$1,000 will be awarded for a normal triple, 2,000 for baskets with the so-called “money-ball” and 3,000 for shots of almost 30 feet (10 meters).
Source: AP
