Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu is taking issue with the idea that she declined to participate in the 3-point contest at WNBA All-Star weekend.
“Lies,” the Liberty star commented on a since-deleted Instagram post from the B/R W Sports account that showed Ionescu, Caitlin Clark and Kayla McBride along with a headline of “Declined to participate.”
Ionescu doubled down when speaking with reporters before Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Sky. The reigning 3-point champion said she never received an invitation from the league to defend her title.
“I can’t decline an offer I never got officially invited to,” said Ionescu, who also said no one within her camp had any conversations with the league either. “So was pretty surprised to see that — never got invited. And obviously, whether it’s against Steph Curry or in the W, I always go out and try and beat my record every single time I’ve gone out. So yeah, I mean I just wanted to set the record straight. That was just false. But I’m really excited for the participants in it and obviously there’s going to be a new winner, so I’m excited to see who wins.”
Ionescu is the all-time record holder for the highest score in the contest, which she set in 2023 with a breathtaking display of 37 points out of a possible 40. She won the contest again last year.
Ionescu isn’t sure whether she would’ve attempted to go back-to-back had she been asked.
Sabrina Ionescu dribbles during the Liberty-Fever game on July 18, 2026. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
“Every year, I kind of weigh out what I’m going to do, what position I’m in, how I’m feeling,” she said.
She added that she takes pride in helping push the league forward and growing the game.
“Maybe I’ll do it with Steph again at NBA All-Star and get a really nice official invite,” she said.
Ionescu was not named to the 2026 All-Star Game — ending a streak of four consecutive berths — after missing 12 games in the first half. She is averaging 13.8 points per game, her lowest figure since 2021.
Clark has yet to appear in a 3-point contest. The Fever phenom was set to make her debut last year when the All-Star weekend was in Indianapolis, but sat out due to injury.
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) scores a three-point basket against the Dallas Wings during the first half at College Park Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
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The not-so-star-studded lineup for Friday night’s 3-point contest in Chicago features Wings rookie Azzi Fudd alongside the Tempo’s Marina Mabrey, Dream’s Rhyne Howard, Fire’s Bridget Carleton, Storm’s Natisha Hiedeman and Valkyries’ Janelle Salaün.
After participating in All-Star festivities for each of the past four seasons, Ionescu said she’ll be watching this year’s from home.
“I’m excited to just be able to kind of rest, recharge, continue to get my body worked on, feel really good and healthy and be able to kind of turn the page for the second half of this season,” she said. “I’m excited to spend time with my family, get a couple days that I usually don’t get and just get my body worked on, feel good, work out, do all the things that I guess most people do during breaks.”