WNBA 3-point contest: Why Caitlin Clark, others declining could hurt event’s future

Caitlin Clark will not participate in the 2026 WNBA 3-point contest. Neither will two-time champion Sabrina Ionescu, who is the reigning champ and has the highest point total (37) in the event’s history, including the NBA. Nor will Kayla McBride, the active leader in 3-pointers (793). 

All three were invited but declined to take part, according to ESPN.

The WNBA did get No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd, as well as Marina Mabrey, who has tied both the single-game records for points (53) and 3-pointers (nine) this season. They’ll be joined in the field by Rhyne Howard, Bridget Carleton, Janelle Salaun and Natisha Hiedeman, as the 3-point contest expands to six participants for the first time since 2023 and headlines All-Star Friday Night at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. 

Mabrey and Howard have both participated in the past, but neither has won. Everyone else is making their debut in the event. 

Some of the best moments in WNBA All-Star history have come in the 3-point contest. Allie Quigley winning for a record fourth time in front of her home crowd in Chicago in 2022 stands out, as does Ionescu making 25 of 27 shots, including 20 in a row, in her record-setting 37-point performance in 2023. 

The event has a way of living up to expectations, and may do so again this year, but the biggest storyline heading into Friday night will be who’s not participating. While the league has faced plenty of deserved criticism this season and in years past — Ionescu’s record-setting performance infamously came in the middle of a Friday afternoon — this one is on the players. 

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Jack Maloney

Some of the reluctance is understandable. All-Star Weekend has become such an economic engine that it’s no longer a break. Players, especially those as popular as Clark and Ionescu, are shuttled from appearance to appearance to satisfy sponsors and fans. And for those who are also playing in the All-Star Game, it’s easy for the entire weekend to disappear. Declining the 3-point contest is one of the few ways they can reclaim some of their time. 

And this year, specifically, Clark and Ionescu have both dealt with injuries they are still working to fully overcome, while McBride was snubbed for an All-Star reserve spot and may not even be in Chicago. 

But there will always be explanations and excuses. Rest and recovery are important. So is putting on a show for the fans, growing the game and building a legacy. Once again, the league couldn’t announce the contestants until a few days beforehand, and there’s a feeling that they had to beg players to show up. And, once again, the biggest name in the sport is sitting out. 

Clark declined an invitation in her rookie season, had to sit out due to injury last year in Indianapolis and said no again this year. Attempts to get her to participate in a two-on-two version of the Stephen vs. Sabrina challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend also failed. At this point, it’s fair to wonder if Clark, who revolutionized the game with her long-range shooting, will ever take part in a 3-point contest. 

One of the few criticisms of LeBron James’ NBA career is that he never participated in the Slam Dunk Contest, which arguably contributed to the event’s demise. It would be a shame if Clark follows the same path.