Atlanta Dream All-Star Allysha Gray had a dream performance Friday night on the opening night of the WNBA All-Star Weekend. She became the first player to win both the skills challenge and the 3-point contest.
Gray won the All-Star Skills Challenge in the final round by completing the course in 32.1 seconds. That bested the Phoenix Mercury’s Sophie Cunningham (34.5), who had homecourt advantage at the Footprint Center.
Dream Card advanced to the finals of the event with a time of 31.2 seconds in the first round. She and Cunningham (35.5 seconds) defeated Brittney Griner, Marina Mabrey and Kelsey Mitchell (replacing Erica Wheeler, who missed the event due to a canceled flight) to play for the trophy and $55,000 in prize money.
The eight-year WNBA veteran followed that up by beating Jonquel Jones with 22 points in the 3-point contest. Jones finished with 21, missing the final money ball shot that would have given him the win.
By winning both contests, Gray will earn $115,150, 62% of her 2024 WNBA salary of $185,000. The winners of each event received $2,575 from the league, but also $55,000 from Aflac in the sponsorship deal.
“Now that I’m thinking about it, slept well, maybe I’ll go on a little golf spree, shopping spree,” Gray told ESPN’s Holly Rowe, after previously saying he could use the $55,000. Start a business.
Jones (40%) and the Washington Mystics’ Stephanie Tolson (50%) are the favorites to be the league’s top two 3-point shooters in the 3-point contest. A center vs. center final would have been a win for the frontcourt players over the guards and wings, who usually get all the long-range shots. Gray is shooting 36% from 3 so far this season.
The Skills Challenge includes a timed obstacle course to test skills such as dribbling, bounce passes, chest passes and outlet passes, as well as elbow jump-shots and 3-point shots from above the arc and corner. A 3-point contest is a two-round contest with five shooting locations around the arc.
In the WNBA’s first 3×3 showcase, the Olympic team of Los Angeles Sparks’ Deirka Hamby, Atlanta Dream’s Ryne Howard, TCU’s Hailey Van Lith and Sierra Burdick (now playing in Spain) defeated a U23 team of college stars including Maryland’s Cristina. Dalles, Morgan Mali from Creighton, Ohio State’s Coty McMahon, Iowa’s Lucy Olsen, LSU’s Mikayla Williams and Wisconsin’s Serah Williams.
A 3×3 game is played on half court with a 10 minute clock. Any shot taken inside the 3-point arc is worth one point, while shots taken outside the arc are worth two points. The first team to score 21 points wins or whichever team has the most points after 10 minutes is timed out.
Here’s how Friday night’s action unfolded on Yahoo Sports’ live blog with Cassandra Negley:
Live coverage is over30 updates
Alisha Gray made history
Alisha Gray absolutely crushed the skills challenge and 3-point contest tonight in her historic debut for the league.
moment.
Alisha Gray becomes the first player in WNBA history to win both the Kia Skills Challenge and the WNBA STARRY® 3-Point Contest in the same year 🔥 pic.twitter.com/07GC5sKbij
Gray finished with a 22 in the final round, one less than his Round 1 score. Jones is up. She lost to Ally Quigley in 2021.
We almost had a center-versus-center 3-point contest. It’s Jonquel Jones (25 points in Round 1) vs. Allysha Gray (23 points) going for the money.
LIT is watching Jonqual Jones sink these 3s. The 6-foot-6 center can go down the drain!
Kayla McBride scored 20 at the buzzer. The Lynx vet was an absolute heater beyond the arc earlier this season, leading Minnesota to the Commissioner’s Cup title last month. Mabrey has now been fired.
Marina Mabrey stepped out in the brand for the first time, donning the new No. 4 Connecticut Sun jersey. He turned 19 and his new teammates, Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, cheered him on on the big screen.
Alisha Gray could take home $110K if she wins this too. He starts the tournament with 23.
The 3-point contest feels wide open this year. Sabrina Ionescu, who set the WNBA and NBA 3-point event record last year, turned down a spot to focus on Team USA. Caitlin Clark said she refused to take some much-needed rest and enjoy her first All-Star game. And legendary competitor Allie Quigley, who hasn’t played at the W in two seasons, has retired from it.
Tonight’s participants: Alisha Gray (Dream), Stephanie Tolson (Mystics), Janquel Jones (Liberty), Kayla McBride (Lynx) and Marina Mabrey (new member of the Sun).
Think winning these All-Star events doesn’t matter to players beyond bragging rights? Alisha Gray earned 31% of her 2024 WNBA salary tonight. What if you win the 3-point contest?
Ryne Howard had recently missed some time with an ankle injury, and it looked like her status for the Olympics was up in the air. She had 12 points tonight. “Shooters shoot,” he told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the win.
Rebounding kept the U23s in it, but time expired and Team USA secured the win. You can see Hamby, Burdick, Howard and von Lith in Paris this month.
They announced Diana Taurasi on Jumptron. Benny Taylor, his wife here with him tonight, is also a WNBA icon and champion in Phoenix.
There has been a lot of discussion about growth this season. Two years ago, the Chicago Convention Center held a capacity and 3-point contest with no fans. Now, the footprint is almost full and it is packed in VIB E. A heavy Mercury merch presence, but many were walking around outside today in All-Star jerseys for Kaitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
The arena erupts and marks the big screen introduction of Hall of Fame legend Cheryl Miller. He was the Mercury’s first head coach and led the franchise to its first Finals appearance. It’s great to celebrate history in Phoenix this weekend.
Hailey Van Lith talked this morning about how different training is for 3×3 versus playing during the college season. For one thing, the game is usually played outside (and that is in Paris). He was recently in Las Vegas and trained mid-afternoon around 2 a.m. for the full impact of the desert heat.
LSU star Flau’jae Johnson is courtside to celebrate All-Star weekend festivities. How long before she participates in this event?
Coty McMahon (Ohio State), Lucy Olsen (Iowa), Mikayla Williams (LSU), Christina Dolls (Maryland) and Morgan Malley are on the U23 team for next week’s FIBA 3×3 Nations League tournament in Mexico City. (Creighton) and Serah Williams (Wisconsin).
Sierra Burdick, a former WNBA player, is often referred to as the mother of 3×3. I talked to her about the game this morning. Team USA considers this a training camp before Paris.
“If you don’t go hard, you’re going to be embarrassed,” Burdick said of design in general. “I don’t want to be shy, we use it as a product as well.”
Team USA consists of Burdick, Hailey Van Lith (former Louisville/LSU, current TCU guard), dream guard Ryne Howard and Sparks forward Trika Hamby.
The Kia Car rolls out, and for the first time in All-Star history, we’ll see a 3×3 matchup between Team USA and the U23 team. This is what I’m most excited to see. The format is really taking off — it might even be a developmental system for the WNBA — and it’s a first look at Team USA before they claim a second straight Olympic gold.
