The 2024 WNBA All-Star Weekend featured several high-profile events on Friday night - but one stood out above the rest . Atlanta Dream star Allisha Gray won the 3-point Contest and Skills Challenge, demonstrating her skills among the upper echelon of women's basketball players.
The 3-point Contest and Skills Challenge pitted five contenders against one another. But two - Marina Mabrey and Gray - suited up in both events. Mabrey experienced a particularly eventful week leading up to All-Star Weekend, having been the headliner of a blockbuster trade . Entering the dual events, he seemed in positive spirits and eager to challenge for the prize money, but she missed the finals of both.
Meanwhile, even though WNBA superstars Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu each said no thanks to the 3-Point Contest, fans will see them on the court on Saturday night in the All-Star Game.
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Mirror Sports U.S. provided updates and results from Friday night's 2024 WNBA All-Star Weekend action...
WNBA Skills Challenge 2024 participants, results and prize money
Participating in the 2024 WNBA Skills Challenge were Sophie Cunningham (Phoenix Mercury), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury), Marina Mabrey (Connecticut Sun) and Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever).
Mitchell replaced Fever teammate Erica Wheeler as a last-minute substitute because of Wheeler's travel issues .
Every Skills Challenge player got at least $1,030 for participating, while Gray also got $57,575 in prize money (with $55,000 coming from a recently-announced Aflac bonus promotion) for winning the event.
Round 1
Marina Mabrey, Brittney Griner and Kelsey Mitchell were eliminated by failing to meet 35.5-second time set by Sophie Cunningham. Allisha Gray (31.2 seconds through course) also advanced to the final.
Final: Allisha Gray wins WNBA Skills Challenge
Allisha Gray bested Sophie Cunningham with a 32.1-second score in the final round to win the 2024 WNBA Skills Challenge.
Cunningham amused commentators and viewers on TV at home by cursing in the middle of her run through the course .
"I saw what time Sophie had, so I needed to go even faster," Gray told ESPN afterward. "... I started so fast that it gave me a little padding at the end. It was all part of the strategy. I knew I was going to fatigue from the shots, so I had to make my passes accurately."
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Result of Team USA 3x3 game at All-Star Weekend
Team USA's Olympic-bound 3x3 group of Dearica Hamby , Hailey Van Lith , Cierra Burdick and Rhyne Howard faced a Team USA Under-23 squad right after the Skills Challenge.
Led by Rhyne Howard's phenomenal scoring abilities, the senior squad headed for the Olympics pulled out a victory. "Shooters shoot, that's never going away," Howard said afterward.
Final score: Team USA 19, USA Select 16 (by time expiration)
WNBA 3-point Contest contestants, results and prize money
The contestants in the 2024 WNBA 3-point Contest were Jonquel Jones (New York Liberty), Stefanie Dolson (Washington Mystics), Kayla McBride (Minnesota Lynx), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream) and Marina Mabrey (Connecticut Sun).
Allisha Gray won the 3-point Contest to complete her sweep of the night's major events.
Round 1
Allisha Gray: 23
Marina Mabrey: 19 (eliminated)
Kayla McBride: 21 (eliminated)
Jonquel Jones: 25
Stefanie Dolson: 20 (eliminated)
3-point Contest final
Allisha Gray: 22 (WINNER)
Jonquel Jones: 20
Every 3-point Contest entrant got at least $1,030 for participating, and Gray got an extra $57,575 in prize money (with $55,000 coming from a recently-announced Aflac bonus promotion).
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