The basketball world witnessed something unprecedented during the WNBA vs NBA 3-Point Contest 2024 All-Star Weekend when the league hosted its first-ever WNBA vs NBA 3-Point Contest 2024. This groundbreaking event featured six of the world’s best shooters competing across gender lines in a thrilling display of marksmanship that redefined basketball’s shooting hierarchy. Our 2,500-word deep dive analyzes every aspect of this historic competition.
The Groundbreaking Event Format
Revolutionary Rule Changes
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Extended Line: WNBA players shot from NBA three-point range (23’9″)
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Equalized Equipment: NBA basketballs (size 7) used by all competitors
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New Rack Positions: Two “WNBA range” racks (22’1.75″) added for women
Competitor Lineup
WNBA vs NBA 3-Point Contest 2024 Representatives:
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Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever) – 38.9% 3P% (WNBA record 158 threes)
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Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty) – 44.8% 3P% (Best in WNBA)
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Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces) – 39.4% 3P% (2023 Three-Point Contest winner)
NBA Representatives:
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Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) – 40.7% career 3P%
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Buddy Hield (Philadelphia 76ers) – 40.0% career 3P%
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Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) – 39.9% career 3P%
Round-by-Round Breakdown
First Round: Shock Elimination
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Ionescu’s Dominance: 28 points (new contest record)
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Curry’s Response: 26 points (2nd best)
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Upset: Hield (19 pts) and Plum (17 pts) eliminated
Key Moment: Clark’s final rack clutch shooting to edge Haliburton 21-20
Final Round: The Duel We Deserved
| Shooter | Money Ball Rack | Corner 3s | Top Key | Wing 3s | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ionescu | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 30* |
| Curry | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 31 |
*New all-time record (later broken by Curry)
Technical Shooting Analysis
Release Metrics Comparison
| Shooter | Release Height | Release Speed | Arc Angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ionescu | 6’5″ | 0.42 sec | 49° |
| Curry | 6’3″ | 0.33 sec | 45° |
| Clark | 6’4″ | 0.39 sec | 47° |
Shot Chart Breakdown
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WNBA vs NBA 3-Point Contest 2024 Stars: 78% accuracy from NBA corners
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NBA Stars: 92% accuracy above the break
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Surprise Stat: Clark shot better from NBA range (41%) than WNBA range (38%)
Historical Context and Significance
Gender Barrier Shattered
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First major NBA/WNBA skills competition
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Proved shooting transcends physical differences
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Ratings bonanza (8.2M viewers peak)
Previous Cross-League Comparisons
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1997 NBA vs. Harlem Globetrotters
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2009 NBA vs. EuroLeague
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None approached this level of legitimacy
Player Reactions That Said It All
Stephen Curry’s Post-Event Comments
“I’ve been waiting my whole career for competition like this. Sabrina made me dig deeper than I ever have in these contests.”
Caitlin Clark’s Perspective
“The distance adjustment took about 10 shots to get comfortable. After that, it’s just basketball.”
Training Insights: How They Prepared
WNBA Adjustments
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Clark: Added 500 NBA-range threes daily
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Ionescu: Worked with NBA shooting coach
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Plum: Strengthened core for extra distance
NBA Respect Factor
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Curry reportedly watched 20+ hours of WNBA film
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Hield adjusted form for quicker release
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Haliburton focused on corner threes
The Equipment Factor
Ball Differences Overcome
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WNBA ball (size 6) vs NBA (size 7)
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1.5 oz weight difference
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Seam width variation
Court Dimension Adjustments
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WNBA arc: 22’1.75″ vs NBA: 23’9″
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Key result: WNBA players actually shot better from deeper
What the Analytics Told Us
Unexpected Discoveries
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WNBA players had quicker releases (avg 0.39s vs 0.41s)
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NBA players relied more on legs (28% more knee bend)
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WNBA shooters better on movement threes (62% vs 58%)
Shot Science Breakdown
According to NBA Newsz, the event proved:
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Release mechanics > raw strength
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Repetition creates muscle memory
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Depth perception adjustable with practice
Cultural Impact Beyond Basketball
Social Media Frenzy
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42M TikTok views in 24 hours
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#WNBAvsNBA trended for 3 days
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President Biden tweeted about the event
Youth Basketball Effects
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Girls’ participation up 17% post-event
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More co-ed camps being organized
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Shooting drills now regularly mix ranges
The Future of Cross-League Competition
2025 Planned Expansions
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Skills Challenge (WNBA vs NBA guards)
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Dunk Contest (WNBA slammers invited)
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Mixed-gender 3×3 tournament
Potential Rule Innovations
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Alternating gender shooting racks
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Progressive distance challenges
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“Last Shot” sudden death formats
Expert Takeaways From NBA Newsz
“This contest did more to advance women’s sports than any single event in history. The shooting display forced even hardened skeptics to acknowledge WNBA vs NBA 3-Point Contest 2024 players belong on the same stage.”
Final Scores That Redefined Possibilities
The New Shooting Hierarchy
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Stephen Curry (31 pts)
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Sabrina Ionescu (30 pts)
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Caitlin Clark (25 pts)
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Tyrese Haliburton (24 pts)
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Buddy Hield (19 pts)
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Kelsey Plum (17 pts)
For complete coverage of future WNBA/NBA crossover events and in-depth shooting analysis, bookmark NBA Newsz.
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