While the 2024 All-Star Game doesn’t tip off until Saturday, this year’s WNBA Skills Challenge and STARRY 3-Point Contest promise to light up Phoenix’s Footprint Center on Friday.
The evening’s programming will allow fans to watch as towering center Brittney Griner shows off her speed and mobility before putting 2024’s most statistically excellent three-point shooters to the test.
In addition to the two annual events, the night will also showcase the first-ever WNBA All-Star 3×3 Exhibition, with the Olympic-bound 3×3 National Team taking on USA Basketball’s 3×3 U23 National Team.
To make things even more interesting, Aflac has promised to supplement the Skills Competition and 3-Point Contest’s prize pool with a $55,000 bonus for each winner.
Skills Challenge highlights league’s best
Perhaps the least straightforward event in Friday’s series, the Skills Challenge — in which five players will compete in a timed obstacle course testing their dribbling, passing, speed, and shooting abilities —should come down to the wire. Each contestant will attempt to complete the course as quickly as possible, with the two fastest first-round players advancing to a head-to-head final.
Ten-time WNBA All-Star Griner (Phoenix) headlines the Skills Challenge roster, accompanied by Mercury teammate Sophie Cunningham as well as Allisha Gray (Atlanta), 2019 WNBA All-Star MVP Erica Wheeler (Indiana), and newly acquired Connecticut guard Marina Mabrey.
Mabrey will be competing in both the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest, taking the court for the first time since her requested trade from Chicago sent her the Sun.
Top shooters put their skills on display
Despite Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark reportedly declining to participate, some of the WNBA’s best shooters will be on display in tonight’s STARRY 3-Point Contest. Shooters will tally up points from five set shooting locations around the arc plus two additional “Starry Range” deep shots worth three points each.
2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones (New York) will enter a battle of the bigs with Washington’s Stefanie Dolson, who sits second in the league in three-point field goal percentage this season with 48.5%.
But Jones and Dolson will face stiff competition from Kayla McBride (Minnesota), who leads the league in three-pointers made, as well as the aforementioned Gray and Mabrey.
WNBA All-Star Weekend adds 3×3 Exhibition to the mix
Tonight’s debut 3×3 Exhibition will serve as a warmup for Team USA’s Rhyne Howard (Atlanta), former WNBA player Cierra Burdick, college star Hailey Van Lith (TCU), and Dearica Hamby (Los Angeles), who came on to replace Sparks teammate Cameron Brink after her season-ending ACL tear.
The Olympians’ U-23 opposition is also gearing up for a major event, with collegiate squad members Christina Dalce (Maryland), Morgan Maly (Creighton), Cotie McMahon (Ohio State), Lucy Olsen (Iowa), Mikaylah Williams (LSU), and Serah Williams (Wisconsin) set to play in the 2024 FIBA 3×3 Nations League tournament in Mexico City starting July 22nd.
Where to watch the WNBA Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest
All three events will air on ESPN starting at 9 PM ET on Friday, July 19th.