Report: NBA considering Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu vs. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson 3-point contest

At NBA All-Star Weekend this year, the league debuted a new event as women’s basketball continues to grow in popularity. Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu squared off in a three-point contest, with the NBA’s all-time three-pointers leader fighting off the WNBA star in the first installment.

But with perhaps the biggest name in the sport coming to the W next year, the NBA could consider making the event a 2v2 affair, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

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Caitlin Clark could receive an invite to participate, Charania said on FanDuel’s Run It Back. The Iowa star is expected to go No. 1 overall to the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Draft, and her stardom is sure to continue when she gets to the next level.

But by putting Clark in the three-point contest, the NBA would have to get someone to compete alongside Curry. Enter Klay Thompson.

“At this point, Stephen Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu is very likely for next year … and I’m told with Caitlin Clark and potentially Klay Thompson to make it 2v2,” Charania said. “Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, the Splash Brothers. I’m told Steph Curry has specifically brought up potentially having Klay Thompson in this competition for next year.

“Could a guy like Damian Lillard be a candidate, as well, to join Steph Curry? But those two guys, potentially, against Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark, those are all conversations that are going to continue to go on over the coming months as we get into the ’24-’25 season.”

Clark has shattered record after record this season, passing Kelsey Plum’s NCAA women’s all-time scoring record and Pete Maravich’s Division I mark. She also passed Curry for the most three-pointers in a season in Division I history and, on Monday, became the all-time Division I leader in three-pointers made during her historic career at Iowa.

As Clark made history, the hype continued to grow around not just her games, but the sport as a whole. Iowa helped drive viewership numbers all season, culminating with Monday’s Elite Eight matchup with LSU. A rematch of last year’s national championship, it brought in 12.3 million viewers – the most to ever watch a college basketball game in ESPN history.

Clark could’ve returned to Iowa for another year, but ultimately decided to declare for the draft. While some argued she would effectively take a “pay cut” by making such a move, her high-profile NIL deals with companies such as State Farm, Xfinity and Nike will go with her. That means she will stay in the spotlight while, presumably, starring for the Indiana Fever.