Sabrina Ionescu missed the first shot of her final round at the 2023 WNBA 3-point Contest Friday afternoon, but made the next 20 shots in front of an astounded Las Vegas crowd that included four-time contest champion Allie Quigley sporting a look of disbelief.
Ionescu needed to get in a groove quickly after that first miss because her money ball rack was the second rack (on the left wing). She was clutch as she nailed every shot on the money ball rack and then just kept on going, remaining red-hot as she moved on to locations that she is not as good from (the players choose where their money ball rack is placed).
Ionescu’s only other miss during the round came on the money ball shot on the right wing. She followed that miss with a perfect final rack and a big celebration after making her final money ball. She knew she had just done something incredible.
Her score of 37 marked a WNBA and NBA record for a single round of a 3-point contest. She easily defeated other finals participants Sami Whitcomb and Arike Ogunbowale to claim the 2023 3-point Contest title.
Ionescu won the Skills Challenge at last year’s All-Star Game.
In the first round on Friday, Whitcomb placed first with a score of 28. She made just two shots on her first rack before a perfect second rack. She…
