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Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu will not compete WNBA 3-point contest

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2 months ago

July 21, 2024

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) rushes up the court past New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) on Thursday, May 16, 2024, during the Indiana Fever home opener game against the New York Liberty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Within the last tune-up earlier than WNBA All-Star Weekend, Caitlin Clark made league historical past.

The Indiana Fever rookie notched a single sport WNBA-record with 19 assists in a 101-93 loss to the Dallas Wings on Wednesday night time.

And but, that is not even the most important information surrounding the 2024 No. 1 general choose.

Following the ultimate two video games previous to All-Star Weekend, the WNBA introduced the individuals for this yr’s 3-point contest and abilities problem.

In a stunning flip of occasions, Clark and New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu had been notably not on the checklist to take part in tonight’s occasion from the Footprint Middle in Phoenix.

In response to a number of experiences, each Clark and Ionescu declined to showcase their skills within the three-point competitors. For Ionescu, the reigning three-point contest champion, this is because of preparing for the Olympic camp forward of the 2024 Paris Olympics beginning subsequent week.

Extra:Caitlin Clark’s All-Star Recreation debut: Find out how to watch 2024 WNBA All-Star Weekend, plus rosters

Nonetheless, this comes as considerably of a shock contemplating not solely are these two of the most well-liked stars within the sport, however the former No. 1 general picks are additionally two of the WNBA’s finest and well-known shooters from past the arc and are tied for the second-shortest consensus odds on sportsbooks in New Jersey at 75/1 (Aces’ ahead A’ja Wilson is runaway favourite at -3231) to win the WNBA MVP this yr.

Nonetheless, if a participant on the Olympic group will get damage and can’t proceed to play, Clark might be the primary identify known as as she’s one of many high alternates to hitch the USWNT in Paris on this state of affairs, making sense why the WNBA’s greatest star determined in opposition to collaborating within the three-point competitors.

By 26 video games in her rookie marketing campaign, Clark’s averaging a team-high 17.1 factors per sport (PPG), good for twelfth finest within the WNBA this season. What’s much more spectacular is how rather more she’s getting her teammates concerned, as she’s dished out double digits assists in seven of her final 9 video games main as much as All-Star Weekend and leads the league at 8.2 assists per sport (APG). Clark is the huge odds-on-favorite to win WNBA Rookie of the Yr, at the moment with -1800 (Guess $1,800 to win $100) consensus odds on sportsbooks in New Jersey over Chicago Sky’s double-double machine Angel Reese, who’s at +750 (Guess $100 to win $750).

Clark’s not the one one making historical past. Following a 82-74 victory over the Connecticut Solar, Ionescu set the franchise record for most 30-point games (13) in Liberty history on Tuesday night time on the Barclays Middle. The 2020 No. 1 general choice is averaging a career-best 19.4 PPG and is meting out 6.2 APG (fifth most in WNBA), all whereas main the franchise to finest the report within the WNBA at 21-4.