Sabrina Ionescu, taking a step again to shoot from the NBA 3-point arc, might have gone shot-for-shot with practically anybody.
The Liberty star sunk her first seven photographs and completed her spherical with 26 factors, which might have tied for the most effective spherical within the NBA’s 3-point competitors.
Practically anybody, although, as a result of Stephen Curry is in a stratosphere of his personal.
The Warriors celebrity and greatest shooter ever buried his remaining 4 triples to beat Ionescu by three factors within the first NBA vs. WNBA 3-Level Problem on Saturday night time in Indianapolis.
Curry’s prize was a WWE-like championship “Stephen vs. Serena” belt, with pictures of goats — as in, GOATs — on both facet.
Each gamers acquired $25,000 every for his or her respective charities.
“I feel an evening like tonight exhibits a variety of younger boys and younger ladies that should you can shoot, you’ll be able to shoot,” Ionescu stated on the TNT broadcast. “It doesn’t matter should you’re a woman or boy, I feel it simply issues the guts that you’ve got and eager to be the most effective you could be.”
Ionescu, the WNBA’s single-season 3-point holder and a two-time All-Star, was nearly as good as anybody not named Curry whereas capturing from a deeper distance than she is accustomed.
The NBA’s 3-point arc is 23 ft, 9 inches away from the basket on the prime of the important thing; the WNBA’s line is 22 ft, 1.75 inches.
But, Ionescu — saying she wished to “proceed to push boundaries and equal the taking part in subject” — made positive she was capturing from the identical distance as Curry. Ionescu shot with WNBA balls and Curry shot with NBA balls.
“Excited to vary the narrative alongside the best to ever do it,” Ionescu stated.
Ionescu received the WNBA’s 3-point shootout at its All-Star weekend final yr with a file 37 factors, smashing Curry’s NBA-shootout mark of 31 factors.
From there, a problem was thrown down and the plan was concocted for them to satisfy at All-Star weekend.
“Hopefully, this isn’t the final time we do that,” Ionescu stated.
— with AP