Atlanta Dream All Star Alisha Gray She put in a dream performance on Friday night in the opening game of WNBA All-Star Weekend, becoming the first player to win both the Skills Challenge and the Three-Point Contest.
Gray won the All-Star Skills Challenge, completing the course in 32.1 seconds. Phoenix Mercuryof Sophie CunninghamThe game ended with 34.5 seconds to play, with home-court advantage at the Footprint Center.
The veteran with eight years of experience said, Jonquel Jones He scored 22 points in the 3-point contest. Jones finished with 21 points but missed the final money ball shot that would have sealed the win.
Gray will earn $115,150 if she wins both games, or 62 percent of her 2024 WNBA salary of $185,000.
Jones (40%) and Washington Mystics‘ Stephanie Dolson Gray (50%) would have been the favorite to win the 3-point contest as the top two 3-point shooters in the league. A center vs. center final would have been won by a frontcourt player over a guard or wing, who typically shoots from long distance. Gray has shot 36% from 3-point range so far this season.
The Skills Challenge includes a timed obstacle course that tests skills such as dribbling, bounce passing, chest passing and outlet passing, elbow jump shots and 3-point shots from the top of the arc and corners. The 3-Point Contest is a two-round, timed competition with shooting at five locations around the arc.
Here’s how Yahoo Sports’ Cassandra Negley’s live blog described Friday night’s game:
The live broadcast has ended30 Updates
Alisha Grey makes history
Alisha Gray achieved league-first feats tonight in both the Skills Challenge and a three-pointer.
moment.
Alisha Gray becomes the first player in WNBA history to win both the Kia Skills Challenge and the WNBA STARRY® 3-Point Contest in the same year 🔥 pic.twitter.com/07GC5sKbij
Jonquel Jones finished one shy of Gray’s 22. Gray will leave Phoenix with $115,150 for winning both contests, which is 62 percent of her 2024 base salary.
Alisha Gray wins the 3-point contest 🎉
First player to win both the WNBA Skills Challenge and the 3-Point Contest 🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/lOXZ9VBYY6
Gray scored 22 points in the final round, one point less than her first-round score, and Jones won. She lost to Allie Quigley in 2021.
The final was going to be a center vs. center three-point contest, with Jonquel Jones (25 points in the first round) versus Alisha Gray (23 points) for the championship.
Footprint’s center is thrilled to see Jonquel Jones make a three-point shot. 6’6″ center makes a three-point shot.
Kayla McBride scored 20 points with a buzzer-beater. The Lynx veteran was in top form with her 3-point shooting earlier this season and helped lead Minnesota to the Commissioner’s Cup title last month. Mabry was eliminated.
Marlena Mabry will be wearing her brand new Connecticut Sun No. 4 jersey for the first time. She finished with 19 points while new teammates Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner cheered her on on the big screen.
Alisha Gray could also take home $110,000 if she wins the tournament. She enters the tournament with 23 points.
This year’s 3-Point Contest is a close contest. Sabrina Ionescu, who set WNBA and NBA 3-point records last year, has opted out to focus on Team USA. Caitlin Clark said she’s opting out to get some much-needed rest and enjoy her first All-Star game. And legendary contestant Allie Quigley, who hasn’t played in the WNBA in recent seasons, has also opted out.
Participants tonight: Alisha Gray (Dream), Stephanie Dolson (Mystics), Jonquel Jones (Liberty), Kayla McBride (Lynx) and Marina Mabry (new member of the Sun).
Do you think winning an All-Star event means nothing to a player other than bragging rights? Alisha Gray earned 31% of her 2024 WNBA salary tonight. What if she won the 3-point contest?
Rhyne Howard has been out recently with an ankle injury and her Olympic status was unclear. She had 12 points tonight. “It was shooter’s shot,” she told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the win.
The U23s held on with the rebound, but time expired and Team USA was victorious. You can watch Hamby, Burdick, Howard and Van Lith in action in Paris this month.
The appearance of Diana Taurasi was announced on the Jambutron, and I have to mention that her wife Penny Taylor, who is with her tonight, is also a WNBA icon and champion in Phoenix.
There’s been a lot of talk about growth this season. Two years ago, the skills and 3-point competitions were held without fans at the Chicago Convention Center. Now the footprint is nearly full, full of VIB E. There was a ton of Mercury merch, but today there was a ton of people milling around outside in Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese All-Star jerseys.
The arena was buzzing as Hall of Fame legend Cheryl Miller was introduced on the big screen. She was the Mercury’s first head coach and led the team to its first Finals appearance. It will be great to see history celebrated in Phoenix this weekend.
Hailey Van Lith spoke this morning about how 3×3 training differs from competing during the college season. First, the competition is usually held outdoors (even in Paris, where it is held outdoors). She recently went to Las Vegas and trained outdoors in the middle of the day, around 2pm, to make the most of the desert heat.
Hailey Van Lith spoke this morning about how her 3×3 training differs from her college season matches: First, the matches are usually held outdoors (as they are in Paris), and she was in Las Vegas recently and did some training outdoors around 2 p.m.
LSU Star Frauje Johnson She will be courtside to enjoy the All-Star Weekend festivities. When will she be joining the event?
The U-23 team, which will compete in the FIBA 3×3 Nations League tournament in Mexico City next week, is made up of college players Coty McMahon (Ohio State University), Lucy Olsen (University of Iowa), Mikayla Williams (Louisiana State University), Christina Dulce (University of Maryland), Morgan Murray (Creighton University) and Selah Williams (University of Wisconsin).
Former WNBA player Sierra Burdick, often referred to as the mother of 3×3, spoke with her this morning about the game, which the U.S. team is treating as a training camp before the Paris Games.
“If you don’t give it your all, you embarrass yourself,” Burdick said of the match format in general. “I don’t want to embarrass myself and I’m using this as preparation.”
Team USA is made up of Burdick, Hailey Van Lith (former Louisville/LSU, current TCU guard), Dream guard Rhyne Howard and Sparks forward Dearrica Hamby.
“We’ll have Kia cars and for the first time in All-Star history, we’ll have a 3×3 match between Team USA and a U23 team. That’s what I’m most excited for. This format is really becoming popular.” It could become a developmental system for the WNBA. —And here’s our first look at the U.S. team, which is looking to win its second consecutive Olympic gold medal.
