The basketball world's best male shooter has challenged the best female shooter in order to see which one of them reigns supreme.
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Prior to the Golden State Warriors' one-point loss against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night, a mic'd up Steph Curry played a game of trivia with rookie teammate Brandin Podziemski.
"Do you know who holds the record for the most points in a three-point competition?" Curry asked.
"Sabrina?" Podziemski responded, referencing New York liberty star guard Sabrina Ionescu.
Curry's excited reaction made it clear that Podziemski got the trivia question correct; a record which occurred during the 2023 WNBA All-Star Weekend's three-point contest, when Ionescu made 25 out of 27 possible shots in the contest's final round. The 37 points that this insane performance garnered won Ionescu the contest and set the record that Curry's question alluded to.
Ionescu's iconic performance broke the previous single-round record of 31 points, which is held by two players: Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Halburton and... Steph Curry.
After Podziemski got Curry's quiz correct, the Warriors legend said, "I think I gotta bring [Ionescu] out [to All-Star Weekend] and be like, 'we gotta settle this once and for all'... I think I've gotta challenge her."
Challenge accepted.
Less than an hour after the NBA's X account posted the Curry pregame video, Ionescu responded to it, writing, 'Let's getttttt it!! See ya at the 3 pt line ?'? @StephenCurry30'.
It isn't just talk between the two superstars, either. A few minutes after Ionescu's response, The Athletic's NBA insider Shams Charania posted on X saying, 'Exciting competition planned: A 3-point Shootout between Golden State's Stephen Curry and WNBA NY Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu at NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, sources say. Two 3-point contest champions. Curry hinted at the possibility tonight while mic'd up vs. Kings.'
Exciting competition planned: A 3-point Shootout between Golden State’s Stephen Curry and WNBA NY Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu at NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, sources say. Two 3-point contest champions. Curry hinted at the possibility tonight while mic’d up vs. Kings. pic.twitter.com/ccXYRsxj4B
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 26, 2024
It appears that this contest has been in the works for some time, and that Curry may have been employing a clever marketing tactic while he had the microphone in order to raise interest for the potential shoot-out. Not that Curry needed to make fans any more excited for it.
The 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend kicks off on Friday, February 16th, with the three-point contest slated to take place on Saturday the 17th. While we don't yet know whether the Curry vs. Ionescu challenge would be part of that three-point contest or exist as something separate, it seems we can expect to see these two world-class shooters settle their score very soon.
