SAN FRANCISO — It was the highlight of the 2024 All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis: Stephen Curry had to get red hot late to beat Sabrina Ionescu’s impressive score in a 3-Point Shootout on All-Star Saturday Night.
STEPHEN CURRY HEATS UP LATE TO WIN STEPHEN vs. SABRINA!
— NBA (@NBA) February 18, 2024
Curry: 29 PTS
Ionescu: 26 PTS
What. A. Battle. https://t.co/hRX4qElqQJ pic.twitter.com/Uu9hmBhUhO
There will be no repeat of the event this weekend in San Francisco, despite it being on Curry’s home court and Ionescu being a Bay Area native. Here is what NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement:
“We weren’t able to land on a plan we thought would raise the bar off of last year’s special moment. We all agreed not to proceed and will instead keep the focus on All-Star Sunday’s new format.”
Curry and Ionescu talked immediately after last year’s contest in Indianapolis about expanding the event, not just having a rematch and running it back. In the minds of the NBA league office, that expansion would involve Curry and former teammate Klay Thomson vs. Ionescu and wildly popular WNBA star Caitlin Clark.
Except Clark said no. Clark plays for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, the team hosting the WNBA All-Star Game this season, and that played into her decision, according to a statement from Clark’s representatives at Excel Sports.
“Caitlin will not be at NBA All-Star. She wants her first three-point contest to be at WNBA All-Star in Indianapolis this summer.”
There was no Plan B the NBA league office liked, while Curry and Ionescu had no interest in simply repeating the same event in a new location. So, the best part of the 2024 All-Star Weekend in Indy will not be coming to California.
