New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu disputed reports that she declined participation in this weekend’s WNBA 3-point competition during her pregame availability ahead of Wednesday’s matchup against the Chicago Sky. The two-time defending champion said she received no formal invitation to the event, which will take place in Chicago as part of All-Star festivities.
“I can’t decline an offer I never got officially invited to,” Ionescu told reporters, addressing speculation about her absence from the contest. “Never got invited.” She emphasized earlier in the week that claims she had opted out were inaccurate, commenting “lies” on a since-deleted social media post that reported her withdrawal.
Fellow standout Kayla McBride also pushed back against similar reports, noting that while her agent received a text inquiry about the event within 48 hours of her Instagram post, no official invitation materialized. McBride cautioned against believing unverified claims, saying the focus should remain on the confirmed participants.
The confirmed roster includes Dallas’ Azzi Fudd, Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard, Golden State’s Janelle Salaün, Portland’s Bridget Carleton, Toronto’s Marina Mabrey and Seattle’s Natisha Hiedeman. Only Howard and Mabrey among the group have prior All-Star 3-point contest experience.
Ionescu, who set a contest record with 37 points in 2023, has won the competition twice. She referenced a previous exhibition matchup with NBA star Stephen Curry while humorously suggesting she awaits a formal invitation to compete at the NBA All-Star weekend.
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