The NBA All-Star weekend is finally upon us. Among the events fans were looking forward to, many wanted to see the rematch between Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu in the 3-point shooting competition.
Sadly, the rematch won’t happen after all. The matchup between the two has been called off, which is unfortunate because it was a fun NBA-WNBA crossover that many fans kept their eyes peeled on. However, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith had his own unique take on the situation.
Stephen A. Smith on Why WNBA Canceled Stephen Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu
On ESPN’s “First Take,” Smith said that the matchup was called off because the WNBA wants to stand on its own instead of using the NBA to promote itself.
“I think these ladies are sending a message, and I think they’re sending a message that the elevation of our product is our priority, and as a result of that, since we’re gaining that traction, we’re going to be fixated on growing that,” Smith said. “Let the fellas handle their own business. We appreciate the help they’ve given us along the way, but let them help themselves.”
"I think these ladies are sending a message." 😳
—@stephenasmith on the NBA All-Star 3-point contest rematch between Sabrina Ionescu and Stephen Curry being called off. pic.twitter.com/Q1t7fi7aK5
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 13, 2025
The WNBA has begun gaining traction in terms of popularity, especially after its 2024 season. The league is starting to reach new heights that it hadn’t seen before. It didn’t need the NBA to do just that. Hopefully, it won’t go anywhere but up from here. If the league believes it is strong enough that it doesn’t need the NBA to grow its own popularity going forward, then it has every reason to do so.
Putting all business aside, it is a shame that the rematch between the two won’t happen as the NBA All-Star weekend has struggled to come up with consistently captivating challenges during its runtime. Fans of both leagues could look forward to having Curry and Ionescu face off again this year.
Curry revolutionized the NBA when he fully weaponized 3-pointers, bringing the NBA to new heights of entertainment. Going up against a similar caliber shooter in Ionescu could have benefited both parties in popularity. Maybe they could run an event where he would go up against a different WNBA player, though Ionescu has a lot of appeal as a player precisely because of her shooting abilities.
Maybe a rematch between the two will happen in the next year or so. It just won’t be this year.
