WNBA star Caitlin Clark will not participate in a special 3-point shootout at the NBA's 2025 All-Star Weekend, her representatives announced in a statement Wednesday.
"Caitlin will not be at NBA All-Star," Clark's representatives at Excel Sports Management said. "She wants her first 3-point contest to be at WNBA All-Star in Indianapolis this summer."
Here's everything you need to know about the situation ahead of the NBA's All-Star Weekend, which is set for Feb. 16-18 in San Francisco.
What did the NBA want Clark to do?
Last year, a new event was introduced to the NBA's All-Star Saturday Night schedule: "Stephen vs. Sabrina." In the first ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-point challenge, Steph Curry took on Sabrina Ionescu in a 1-on-1 battle for outside shooting supremacy. The contest, which Curry won with a late surge, was an immediate success and breathed new life into All-Star Weekend, which has grown a bit stale in recent years.
Almost immediately, there were talks about bringing the showdown back in 2025, especially with Curry and the Golden State Warriors set to play host.
"I don't know if anybody can fill these shoes, but it might have to be something that we do more often," Curry said after his victory.
In April, Shams Charania reported Curry vs. Ionescu Part II was very likely to happen at All-Star Weekend in 2025, and suggested the possibility that the event would be expanded into a 2-on-2 competition that could include Clark as well as Klay Thompson or Damian Lillard.
Charania reiterated in November that talks were progressing to bring back a variation of the contest. "Curry and Ionescu are in strong conversations to return," Charania said, adding that Clark and Thompson were also in the mix. Ionescu was also asked in November about who she would want to team up with in a 2-on-2 3-point contest and chose Clark as her ideal partner.
Based on all available reporting, it seems clear the NBA's dream scenario would have been to have Curry and Thompson reunite to take on Ionescu and Clark in a 2-on-2 shootout. It would have taken place Sunday, in between the semifinal games and championship of the new All-Star Game tournament, rather than during All-Star Saturday Night.
Why did Clark decline the invitation?
First and foremost, Clark wanted her first experience in a 3-point contest to be at the WNBA's 2025 All-Star Weekend, which her Indiana Fever will host later this summer.
Furthermore, per the Sports Business Journal, Clark also did not want to shoot off a ball rack because her offseason practice regimen focuses solely on shooting catch-and-shoot or off-the-dribble 3-pointers. The shootout would be set up like a traditional 3-point contest in which there are five racks spaced around the floor with five balls at each rack.
It's also worth noting that Clark has made it clear she wanted to take it easy this offseason after playing for nearly a year straight between her senior season at Iowa and rookie season with the Fever. She turned down opportunities to play overseas and with Unrivaled, and has instead focused on individual training with the Fever's new coaching staff.
What will the NBA do now?
From a logistical perspective, the simplest solution for the NBA would be to just have "Stephen vs. Sabrina 2.0." Both Curry and Ionescu appear to be interested, and keeping it a one-on-one battle would make it a true rematch. Plus, they wouldn't have to scramble around to try and find a last-minute replacement for Clark, which could cause the event to lose some of its cachet.
What's next for Clark?
The 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year is already back on the court preparing for her sophomore season, and recently put on a brilliant shooting display during a workout. After leading the Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 while setting the league's single-season assist record and making All-WNBA First Team, among other honors, Clark will have her sights set on even bigger goals: winning at least one playoff series and perhaps challenging for MVP.
The Fever have already re-signed Clark's backcourt mate, Kelsey Mitchell, and have plenty of cap space to spend in free agency to further improve the team. Clark and the Fever will tip off their 2025 campaign on May 17 at home against the Chicago Sky.
