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BANG/AP: Bay Area-centric Steph vs. Sabrina All-Star shootout finally comes to fruition
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Allen
Feb 14, 2024, 8:17:06 PMFeb 14
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Bay Area-centric Steph vs. Sabrina All-Star shootout finally comes to
fruition
Warriors star Steph Curry and Miramonte alum Sabrina Ionescu set to face
off during NBA All-Star weekend
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>FILE – Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) gestures during
an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in San
Francisco, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. All-Star Saturday Night, Feb. 17,
2024, gets an event like never before: Sabrina Ionescu vs. Stephen
Curry, in a 3-point battle of the sexes.(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
By ASSOCIATED PRESS | a...@dfmdev.com | Associated Press
PUBLISHED: February 14, 2024 at 1:58 p.m. | UPDATED: February 14, 2024
at 2:05 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2024/02/14/stephen-curry-vs-sabrina-ionescu-is-an-all-star-matchup-that-was-a-long-time-coming/
By TIM REYNOLDS | AP Basketball Writer
She’s the player with the best 3-point contest performance in NBA or
WNBA history. He’s made more 3-pointers than anyone who’s ever played at
the highest level.
Sabrina Ionescu. Stephen Curry.
She’s one of his favorites and led the WNBA in 3-pointers made last
season. He’s one of her idols and is the NBA’s all-time 3-point leader.
And on Saturday night in Indianapolis at All-Star weekend, they will go
head-to-head in a 3-point contest — Steph vs. Sabrina, one that’s
already got both of them amped up for a competition on a global stage
like none other between NBA and WNBA stars.
“It’s going to be a great experience for us both,” Ionescu said.
Added Curry: “It’s an authentic competition between two great shooters.”
It’s not their first time facing off — the New York Liberty and Golden
State Warriors stars have played HORSE against each other, and from the
way they were telling the story on Tuesday night, it was clear that
Ionescu won that matchup.
Their relationship goes back well over a decade and they’ve been in the
stands to see each other play; Ionescu is a kid from the Bay Area whose
family had Warriors season tickets, Curry took his daughters to see
Ionescu play when she was at Oregon facing Cal in 2020. Ionescu talked
to Curry’s girls that night and neither they, nor their dad, forgot that
act of kindness.
There is a clear, deep respect between the two. The winner on Saturday
night gets bragging rights, but both of them know there’s a far bigger
prize than winning.
“I think a lot of people are either on one side or the other of their
reactions, like this dopest thing in the world, it’s the first of its
kind and it’ll be something that kind of changes the narrative of what
it looks like,” Curry said. “But then also, there is the camp that’s
like ‘Oh, you’ve got a lot on the line. You really want to take on that
challenge? What if you lose?’ There’s a lot of fear attached to it,
really, I guess. This is what sports is about.”
Here’s how we got here: Ionescu put on a shooting show for all-time in
the WNBA’s 3-point contest last summer. She missed her first shot of
that final round, then made her next 20 — yes, 20 — before missing
again, and then she made her final five. The totals: 25-for-27 shooting,
from seven different 3-point spots on the floor, in 63 seconds.
[video: Sabrina Ionescu makes history with 37 pts in final rnd of...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfPsyMkLAdQ]
Ionescu posed for a photo imitating Curry’s famous lights-out pose while
holding her trophy at the WNBA event and raised the possibility of a
matchup. She had just scored 37 shootout points; Curry’s best in the NBA
version of the 3-point contest is 31.
Then came last month, when Curry was wired with a microphone for Golden
State’s game against Sacramento and had a discussion with Warriors
teammate Brandin Podziemski about Ionescu.
“I think I’ve got to challenge her,” Curry told Podziemski.
Ionescu responded on social media: “Let’s getttttt it!! See ya at the 3
pt line.”
And here we are.
It is already sounding like this one will be the matchup maybe everyone
wants to see on the All-Star stage. Sure, there’s the game on Sunday
night, there’s Mac McClung trying to defend his crown in the dunk
contest on Saturday, there’s Victor Wembanyama making his All-Star event
debut in the Rising Stars games on Friday.
“We’re really excited for the opportunity to do this,” Ionescu said.
“From my perspective, it’s something I could have never imagined being a
part of. It’s really organic.”
This one has a little bit of everything — a battle-of-the-sexes feel,
two shooters with enormous respect from their peers, two players with
enormous respect for each other.
And yes, it seems like people will be choosing sides.
“Two incredible shooters. Incredible players, really. I don’t want to
disrespect their craft. I know how much hard work they put in,” Dallas
guard Kyrie Irving said in a video posted on the NBA’s social media
channels. “But that 3-point line doesn’t exist. They’re all the way out
to the 4-point line, 5-point line.
>RELATED ARTICLES
Kurtenbach: LeBron James made a mistake saying no to Steph Curry and
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Warriors tried to acquire LeBron James at trade deadline: report
Draymond Green's beef with Jusuf Nurkic continues into podcast,
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How Warriors coped with grief in return to Utah, where assistant
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Klay Thompson's evolution is showing itself after win in Utah
“But yeah, I’m pulling for Sabrina. No disrespect to you, Steph. I love
you, big bro. But at the same time, she’s got the record, man. She’s
coming to defend her title. You’re coming to the competitive table to
see if you can win. It’s going to be interesting.”
Added Phoenix forward Kevin Durant, also to the NBA’s social channels:
“I’m going Steph.” Durant originally picked Curry, then decided he would
back Ionescu, then changed his mind yet again.
Both players will see their foundations get some cash from this. Curry’s
Eat.Learn.Play. nonprofit and Ionescu’s SI20 Foundation will receive a
donation from the NBA and WNBA for participating. Every shot they make —
$1,000 for regular 3s, $2,000 for money-ball 3s and $3,000 for deeper 3s
from nearly 30 feet — will bring a donation from State Farm to the NBA
Foundation “to support economic empowerment in the Black community,” the
league said.
“She’s the champ. I’m the contender,” Curry said. “Let’s lay it on the
line.”
fruition
Warriors star Steph Curry and Miramonte alum Sabrina Ionescu set to face
off during NBA All-Star weekend
Previous
Next
1 of 4
>FILE – Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) gestures during
an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in San
Francisco, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. All-Star Saturday Night, Feb. 17,
2024, gets an event like never before: Sabrina Ionescu vs. Stephen
Curry, in a 3-point battle of the sexes.(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
By ASSOCIATED PRESS | a...@dfmdev.com | Associated Press
PUBLISHED: February 14, 2024 at 1:58 p.m. | UPDATED: February 14, 2024
at 2:05 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2024/02/14/stephen-curry-vs-sabrina-ionescu-is-an-all-star-matchup-that-was-a-long-time-coming/
By TIM REYNOLDS | AP Basketball Writer
She’s the player with the best 3-point contest performance in NBA or
WNBA history. He’s made more 3-pointers than anyone who’s ever played at
the highest level.
Sabrina Ionescu. Stephen Curry.
She’s one of his favorites and led the WNBA in 3-pointers made last
season. He’s one of her idols and is the NBA’s all-time 3-point leader.
And on Saturday night in Indianapolis at All-Star weekend, they will go
head-to-head in a 3-point contest — Steph vs. Sabrina, one that’s
already got both of them amped up for a competition on a global stage
like none other between NBA and WNBA stars.
“It’s going to be a great experience for us both,” Ionescu said.
Added Curry: “It’s an authentic competition between two great shooters.”
It’s not their first time facing off — the New York Liberty and Golden
State Warriors stars have played HORSE against each other, and from the
way they were telling the story on Tuesday night, it was clear that
Ionescu won that matchup.
Their relationship goes back well over a decade and they’ve been in the
stands to see each other play; Ionescu is a kid from the Bay Area whose
family had Warriors season tickets, Curry took his daughters to see
Ionescu play when she was at Oregon facing Cal in 2020. Ionescu talked
to Curry’s girls that night and neither they, nor their dad, forgot that
act of kindness.
There is a clear, deep respect between the two. The winner on Saturday
night gets bragging rights, but both of them know there’s a far bigger
prize than winning.
“I think a lot of people are either on one side or the other of their
reactions, like this dopest thing in the world, it’s the first of its
kind and it’ll be something that kind of changes the narrative of what
it looks like,” Curry said. “But then also, there is the camp that’s
like ‘Oh, you’ve got a lot on the line. You really want to take on that
challenge? What if you lose?’ There’s a lot of fear attached to it,
really, I guess. This is what sports is about.”
Here’s how we got here: Ionescu put on a shooting show for all-time in
the WNBA’s 3-point contest last summer. She missed her first shot of
that final round, then made her next 20 — yes, 20 — before missing
again, and then she made her final five. The totals: 25-for-27 shooting,
from seven different 3-point spots on the floor, in 63 seconds.
[video: Sabrina Ionescu makes history with 37 pts in final rnd of...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfPsyMkLAdQ]
Ionescu posed for a photo imitating Curry’s famous lights-out pose while
holding her trophy at the WNBA event and raised the possibility of a
matchup. She had just scored 37 shootout points; Curry’s best in the NBA
version of the 3-point contest is 31.
Then came last month, when Curry was wired with a microphone for Golden
State’s game against Sacramento and had a discussion with Warriors
teammate Brandin Podziemski about Ionescu.
“I think I’ve got to challenge her,” Curry told Podziemski.
Ionescu responded on social media: “Let’s getttttt it!! See ya at the 3
pt line.”
And here we are.
It is already sounding like this one will be the matchup maybe everyone
wants to see on the All-Star stage. Sure, there’s the game on Sunday
night, there’s Mac McClung trying to defend his crown in the dunk
contest on Saturday, there’s Victor Wembanyama making his All-Star event
debut in the Rising Stars games on Friday.
“We’re really excited for the opportunity to do this,” Ionescu said.
“From my perspective, it’s something I could have never imagined being a
part of. It’s really organic.”
This one has a little bit of everything — a battle-of-the-sexes feel,
two shooters with enormous respect from their peers, two players with
enormous respect for each other.
And yes, it seems like people will be choosing sides.
“Two incredible shooters. Incredible players, really. I don’t want to
disrespect their craft. I know how much hard work they put in,” Dallas
guard Kyrie Irving said in a video posted on the NBA’s social media
channels. “But that 3-point line doesn’t exist. They’re all the way out
to the 4-point line, 5-point line.
>RELATED ARTICLES
Kurtenbach: LeBron James made a mistake saying no to Steph Curry and
Warriors (plus 4 other mid-week thoughts)
Warriors tried to acquire LeBron James at trade deadline: report
Draymond Green's beef with Jusuf Nurkic continues into podcast,
Twitter spat
How Warriors coped with grief in return to Utah, where assistant
coach Milojević died
Klay Thompson's evolution is showing itself after win in Utah
“But yeah, I’m pulling for Sabrina. No disrespect to you, Steph. I love
you, big bro. But at the same time, she’s got the record, man. She’s
coming to defend her title. You’re coming to the competitive table to
see if you can win. It’s going to be interesting.”
Added Phoenix forward Kevin Durant, also to the NBA’s social channels:
“I’m going Steph.” Durant originally picked Curry, then decided he would
back Ionescu, then changed his mind yet again.
Both players will see their foundations get some cash from this. Curry’s
Eat.Learn.Play. nonprofit and Ionescu’s SI20 Foundation will receive a
donation from the NBA and WNBA for participating. Every shot they make —
$1,000 for regular 3s, $2,000 for money-ball 3s and $3,000 for deeper 3s
from nearly 30 feet — will bring a donation from State Farm to the NBA
Foundation “to support economic empowerment in the Black community,” the
league said.
“She’s the champ. I’m the contender,” Curry said. “Let’s lay it on the
line.”
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