On paper, the poster was attractive... On the floor, it kept all its promises.
This Saturday, in Indianapolis, on the sidelines of the All-Star Game, the best three-point shooter in WNBA history, Sabrina Ionescu, challenged the best three-point shooter in NBA history, superstar Stephen Curry , in a competition of skill.
A historic “Battle of the Sexes” for American basketball, finally won by the leader of the Golden States Warrior after a grueling duel.
STEPHEN CURRY HEATS UP LATE TO WIN STEPHEN vs.
SABRINA!
Curry: 29 PTS
Ionescu: 26 PTS
What.
A.Battle.
https://t.co/hRX4qElqQJ pic.twitter.com/Uu9hmBhUhO
— NBA (@NBA) February 18, 2024
Trigger for the New York Liberty of Team USA, Ionescu shocked the general public last year, by scoring 25 of her 27 baskets during the WNBA three-point contest.
An extraordinary performance which led him to challenge Curry for a clash of the titans in 2024. It remained to agree on the rules: for the good of the competition, organized for charities, the American agreed to shoot behind the NBA three-point line (further from the basket than the WNBA by 49 cm) but with WNBA balls (lighter than those of the NBA).
Two very high scores and a rematch already announced
First to pass, the champion hit very hard, hitting her first seven baskets to finish with a score of 26 points... That's as many as Damian Lillard's during the "real" three-point contest, a few minutes earlier!
Under pressure, Curry, however, responded like a champion, finishing his run in apotheosis, with nine successful shots out of ten, to snatch the victory with 29 points.
SABRINA IONESCU.
26 POINTS.
COOKING.
Stephen Curry is up next on TNT!
https://t.co/fvM9iOA0ZD pic.twitter.com/nlDCX25eIx
— NBA (@NBA) February 18, 2024
“I saw his first rack and I had images from last summer in my head.
It added a lot of pressure, Curry said afterwards.
Luckily I did enough to get through it.
But it was perfect.
A great show, skill from both sides and a great 70 seconds for both of us.
The fact that it was on a big stage, how it happened, the support of the foundations and also the NBA… It’s a step in the right direction, a very great success.
» For her part, Ionescu has already announced that she wants to take her revenge next year.