Atlanta Dream All-Star Alisha Gray delivered a dream performance on Friday night’s opening night of WNBA All-Star Weekend, as she became the first player to win both the Skills Challenge and the Three-Point Contest.
Gray completed the course in 32.1 seconds in the final round to win the All-Star Skills Challenge, beating Phoenix Mercury’s Sophie Cunningham (34.5), who had home-court advantage at the Footprint Center.
The Dreamguard clocked a time of 31.2 seconds in the first round to advance to the finals, where she and Cunningham (35.5 seconds) beat Brittney Griner, Marina Mabry and Kelsey Mitchell (substituting for Erica Wheeler, who withdrew from the tournament due to a canceled flight) to compete for the trophy and $55,000 prize money.
The eight-year WNBA veteran beat Jonquel Jones in the 3-point contest with 22 points. Jones finished with 21 points but missed the final money ball shot to seal the win.
Gray would receive $115,150 if she wins both tournaments, 62 percent of her WNBA salary of $185,000 in 2024. The winner of each tournament would receive $2,575 from the league and $55,000 from Aflac as part of an endorsement deal.
“Come to think of it, I’ve had a good night’s sleep, maybe a little golf and a little shopping,” Gray told ESPN’s Holly Rowe. Gray has previously said he might use the $55,000 to start a business.
Jones (40%) and Washington Mystics’ Stephanie Dolson (50%) were the top two 3-point shooters in the league, so it’s no exaggeration to say they would have been the favorites to win the 3-point contest. A center-versus-center final would likely have gone to a frontcourt player rather than a guard or wing, who typically has the long-range shots. Gray has shot 36% from 3-point range so far this season.
The skills challenge included a timed obstacle course testing skills such as dribbling, bounce passing, chest passing and outlet passing, as well as elbow jump shots and three-point shots from the top of the arc and the corners. The three-point contest was a two-round, timed competition with shooting at five locations around the arc.
In the WNBA’s first-ever 3×3 Showcase, the Olympic team of Dearica Hamby of the Los Angeles Sparks, Ryne Howard of the Atlanta Dream, TCU’s Hailey Van Lith and Sierra Burdick (currently playing in Spain) defeated a U-23 team of college stars including Christina Dulce of Maryland, Morgan Murray of Creighton, Coty McMahon of Ohio State, Lucy Olsen of Iowa, Mikayla Williams of Louisiana State and Sera Williams of Wisconsin.
3×3 games are played in the half court for 10 minutes. Shots inside the 3-point arc are worth 1 point and shots outside the arc are worth 2 points. The first team to reach 21 points wins, or the team with the most points after 10 minutes wins.
Here’s what happened on Friday night:
The live broadcast has been updated more than 30 times.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:39 PM PDT
Alisha Grey makes history
Alisha Gray dominated the Skills Challenge and Three-Point Contest tonight, becoming the first player in league history to do so.
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
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 20, 2024
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:35 PM PDT
Jonquel Jones finished one shy of Gray’s 22. Gray will leave Phoenix with $115,150 for winning both contests, which is 62 percent of her 2024 base salary.
Alisha Gray wins the 3-point contest 🎉
First player to win both the WNBA Skills Challenge and the 3-Point Contest 🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/lOXZ9VBYY6
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 20, 2024
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:31 PM PDT
Gray scored 22 points in the final round, one point less than her first-round score, and Jones won. She lost to Allie Quigley in 2021.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:24 PM PDT
The final was going to be a center vs. center three-point contest, with Jonquel Jones (25 points in the first round) versus Alisha Gray (23 points) for the championship.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:21 PM PDT
Footprint Center is excited to see Jonquel Jones make a 3-point shot. 6’6″ center makes a 3-point shot!
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:19 PM PDT
Kayla McBride scored 20 points with a buzzer-beater. The Lynx veteran was in top form with her 3-point shooting earlier this season and helped lead Minnesota to the Commissioner’s Cup title last month. Mabry was eliminated.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:17 PM PDT
Marlena Mabry will be wearing her brand new Connecticut Sun No. 4 jersey for the first time. She finished with 19 points while new teammates Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner cheered her on on the big screen.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:15 PM PDT
Alisha Gray could also take home $110,000 if she wins the tournament. She enters the tournament with 23 points.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:11 PM PDT
This year’s 3-Point Contest is a close contest. Sabrina Ionescu, who set WNBA and NBA 3-point records last year, has opted out to focus on Team USA. Caitlin Clark said she’s opting out to get some much-needed rest and enjoy her first All-Star game. And legendary contestant Allie Quigley, who hasn’t played in the WNBA in recent seasons, has also opted out.
Participants tonight: Alisha Gray (Dream), Stephanie Dolson (Mystics), Jonquel Jones (Liberty), Kayla McBride (Lynx) and Marina Mabry (new member of the Sun).
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:06 PM PDT
Do you think winning an All-Star event means nothing to a player other than bragging rights? Alisha Gray earned 31% of her 2024 WNBA salary tonight. What if she won the 3-point contest?
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:04 PM PDT
Rhyne Howard has been out recently with an ankle injury and her Olympic status was unclear. She had 12 points tonight. “It was shooter’s shot,” she told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the win.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:01 PM PDT
The U23s held on with the rebound, but time expired and Team USA was victorious. You can watch Hamby, Burdick, Howard and Van Lith in action in Paris this month.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 6:55 PM PDT
The appearance of Diana Taurasi was announced on the Jambutron, and I have to mention that her wife Penny Taylor, who is with her tonight, is also a WNBA icon and champion in Phoenix.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 6:53 PM PDT
There’s been a lot of talk about growth this season. Two years ago, the skills and 3-point competitions were held without fans at the Chicago Convention Center. Now the footprint is nearly full, full of VIB E. There was a ton of Mercury merch, but today there was a ton of people milling around outside in Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese All-Star jerseys.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 6:46 PM PDT
The arena was buzzing as Hall of Fame legend Cheryl Miller was introduced on the big screen. She was the Mercury’s first head coach and led the team to its first Finals appearance. It will be great to see history celebrated in Phoenix this weekend.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 6:42 PM PDT
Hailey Van Lith spoke this morning about how 3×3 training differs from competing during the college season. First, the competition is usually held outdoors (even in Paris, where it is held outdoors). She recently went to Las Vegas and trained outdoors in the middle of the day, around 2pm, to make the most of the desert heat.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 6:37 PM PDT
LSU star Frauje Johnson will be courtside enjoying the All-Star Weekend festivities, but when will she be taking part in the event?
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 6:33 PM PDT
The U-23 team, which will compete in the FIBA 3×3 Nations League tournament in Mexico City next week, is made up of college players Coty McMahon (Ohio State University), Lucy Olsen (University of Iowa), Mikayla Williams (Louisiana State University), Christina Dulce (University of Maryland), Morgan Murray (Creighton University) and Selah Williams (University of Wisconsin).
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 6:32 PM PDT
Former WNBA player Sierra Burdick, often referred to as the mother of 3×3, spoke with her this morning about the game, which the U.S. team is treating as a training camp before the Paris Games.
“If you don’t give it your all, you embarrass yourself,” Burdick said of the match format in general. “I don’t want to embarrass myself and I’m using this as preparation.”
Team USA is made up of Burdick, Hailey Van Lith (former Louisville/LSU, current TCU guard), Dream guard Rhyne Howard and Sparks forward Dearrica Hamby.
Friday, July 19, 2024 at 6:29 PM PDT
There will be Kia cars and, for the first time in All-Star history, we will see a 3×3 match between Team USA and a U23 team. That’s what I’m most excited for. This format is really becoming popular and could become a developmental system for the WNBA. And we’ll get to see Team USA for the first time before they try to win a second consecutive Olympic gold medal.
