The quality of entertainment in the NBA All-Star Weekend has been on the decline over the past few years. The Slam Dunk Contest isn't what it used to be in terms of awe factor, while the All-Star Game has turned into a non-competitive exhibition game where the primary goal of the players appears to be to get through it unscathed. Nonetheless, the 2024 All-Star Weekend still had its moments, with the three-point showdown between Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu being the brightest spot of the festivities.
Now, the league knows that there is more money to be made in giving the best shooters in the NBA and WNBA this big of a platform to compete against each other. To that end, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on FanDuel TV's Run It Back that the NBA may be looking to include Klay Thompson and Caitlin Clark to make it a two on two.
"At this point Stephen Curry versus Sabrina Ionescu is very likely for next year…I'm told with Caitlin Clark and potentially Klay Thompson to make it 2v2."
The NBA is looking to up the ante for next year's All-Star Weekend 👏
(via @RunItBackFDTV)pic.twitter.com/2XuZDWLXw2
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 2, 2024
The sheer marksmanship on display will be quite a treat to watch; the Golden State Warriors' famous Splash Brothers have been making three-point history for the entirety of their careers, while Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark show that basketball skill knows no gender.
Given how much attention Clark draws, it's a no-brainer for the NBA to incorporate this two-on-two three-point shootout next year when the All-Star Weekend goes to Chase Center, the home of the Warriors — the perfect place for two of the greatest NBA three-point shooters of all-time to bring even more publicity and goodwill towards two of the best women basketball players of this generation.
Stephen Curry barely squeaked by Sabrina Ionescu
Plenty of fans view professional sports from a misogynistic-leaning perspective (such is the way of living in a patriarchal society). Even though Sabrina Ionescu was breaking records for three-point shooting with the New York Liberty in 2023, not many thought that she could go toe-to-toe against the greatest shooter of all-time, Stephen Curry, in a three-point contest.
However, Ionescu didn't just keep up — she showed that she belongs. She followed up her historic run in the 2023 WNBA Three-Point Contest with a 26-point performance in her showdown against Curry — putting a ton of pressure on the Warriors star to deliver. Curry then barely eked out a victory over Ionescu, tallying 29 to take home the crown in the end.
This was a no-win situation for Stephen Curry; if he won, many fans would think that that was merely to be expected, and if he lost, he would forever be the subject of mockery for losing to a woman, as if that is something to be ashamed of. But Curry was a good sport, and in the end, the Warriors star elevated both himself and Sabrina Ionescu, proving to be the highlight of what was an otherwise disappointing weekend.
Caitlin Clark and Klay Thompson — on opposite career trajectories
There's no doubt that Klay Thompson's best days are behind him, although his best self makes appearances here and there. The Warriors star is in steep decline, and he's shooting a career-worst output from beyond the arc (38.2 percent on 8.9 attempts ger game) this season.
Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark is playing some of the best basketball of her career as she tries to lead Iowa to the national title before she makes the jump to the WNBA. Clark is casually pulling up from five to ten feet behind the three-point line, and she's doing so as the focal point of the offense.
Thompson is still one of the most proven marksmen in the NBA, so it's not like he'll be an easy matchup. Open shots from deep are still his bread and butter. But Clark will make Thompson sweat the way Sabrina Ionescu did to Stephen Curry.
Follow Us
Subscribe