The highlight of 2024’s NBA All-Star Saturday was the NBA-WNBA Shootout between Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty.
Curry defeated Ionescu in a thrilling contest that was not only unique and entertaining, but also proved to be a huge benefit to both the men’s and women’s game. It was great exposure for the WNBA right as Caitlin Clark and a historic rookie class were about to enter the league. And it added a new element to an NBA All-Star Game weekend that has been growing increasingly stale.
So of course it’s not making a return in 2025.
In what can only be described as an own goal, or in basketball parlance Ricky Davis trying to shoot at his own basket to get a triple double, the NBA announced on Thursday that it will not happen in 2025.
NBA-WNBA shootout with Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu is off. NBA’s Mike Bass: “We weren’t able to land on a plan we thought would raise the bar off of last year’s special moment. We all agreed not to proceed and will instead keep the focus on All-Star Sunday’s new format.”
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 13, 2025
After the success of last year’s NBA–WNBA shootout, there were hopes that it could even be expanded this year to include the likes of Caitlin Clark and other NBA stars. For the NBA not to get anything done that could have built on the excitement and interest from the 2024 event is a major L. It’s understandable that Clark wouldn’t be available as she takes an extended break, but even a Sabrina-Steph Part II would have sufficed and met the moment. However, according to The Athletic neither party was interested in that.
It’s a disappointment for basketball fans of all kinds as last year’s shootout was a truly special event. Now we only have a convoluted and contrived NBA All-Star Game tournament format to look forward to.
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