When the WNBA announced the participants for this year’s 3-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend, fans noted that Sabrina Ionescu was missing from the list. ESPN’s Alexa Philippou later reported that the New York Liberty star (along with Caitlin Clark and Kayla McBride) had “declined” an invitation by the league to compete in the event.
As media outlets spread this information, Ionescu appeared to have posted her reaction. One netizen posted a screenshot of an Instagram post by Bleacher Report about the alleged invitation decline, with Ionescu supposedly writing “Lies” in the comments section.
The post seen in this screenshot is no longer accessible on the B/R W Sports Instagram account. However, the image of Ionescu supposedly refuting the report about her non-participation is enough to raise questions about what’s going on with the 3-Point Contest.
Since joining the league in 2020, Ionescu has participated in the WNBA 3-Point Contest on two occasions. Both times, the sweet-shooting guard conquered the competition in 2023 and 2025.
In 2024, months before winning her first WNBA championship with the Liberty, Ionescu accepted a special invitation to take on Stephen Curry during the NBA’s own All-Star Weekend. With the basketball community tuning in to this unique crossover event, Curry defeated Ionescu by a slim margin (29-26).
After commanding the spotlight in 3-Point Contests over the past three years, Ionescu won’t be stepping up when the WNBA’s All-Star Saturday emanates from the United Center in Chicago. A new champion will instead be crowned from the pool of Azzi Fudd, Rhyne Howard, Marina Mabrey, Natisha Hiedeman, Bridget Carleton, and Janelle Salaün.
“It’s the Shooter’s Mentality”: Sabrina Ionescu Opens Up on Overcoming 3/20 FG Shooting in Regulation vs. Wings
Meanwhile, Sabrina Ionescu has stayed focused on helping the Liberty (14-12) bounce back from their recent struggles.
After pulling off an overtime win over the Dallas Wings on Monday, Ionescu got candid on her struggles to shoot that night. Despite finishing 3-for-20 from the field at the end of regulation, the four-time WNBA All-Star remained confident in her abilities.
“My shot felt good. The basketball gods were just not in my favor. They were rolling in and out. So I just continued to stick with it, teammates continued to pour into me…In overtime, when there was a new five [minutes], it was a chance to reset, to believe the next one’s in, and it’s the shooter’s mentality you have to have.”
Ionescu’s final stat line for the night was 21 points on 8-for-25 FG shooting, four rebounds, two assists, and one block. She went 5-for-5 in the extra period.
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