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WNBA All-Star 2024: Dream’s Allisha Gray wins both the Skills Challenge and the 3-Point Contest

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WNBA All-Star 2024: Dream’s Allisha Gray wins both the Skills Challenge and the 3-Point Contest

Atlanta Dream All-Star Allisha Gray had a dream performance during the opening night of the WNBA All-Star weekend on Friday night, becoming the first player to win both the Skills Challenge and the 3-Point Contest.

Gray won the All-Star Skills Challenge by completing the course in 32.1 seconds on the final lap, beating Phoenix Mercury’s Sophie Cunningham (34.5), who had home court advantage at Footprint Center.

The Dream guard 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 compete for the trophy and $55,000 in prize money.

The eight-year WNBA veteran followed that up by beating Jonquel Jones in the 3-Point Contest with 22 points. Jones finished with 21 points, missing the final money ball shot that would have given her the win.

By winning both events, Gray will take home $115,150, which is 62% of her WNBA salary of $185,000 in 2024. Winners of each event received $2,575 from the league, but also $55,000 from Aflac in a sponsorship deal.

“Now that I think about it, I took a nice nap, maybe I’ll do a little golfing or shopping,” Gray told ESPN’s Holly Rowe, after previously saying she might use the $55,000 to start a business.

Jones (40%) and Stefanie Dolson (50%) of the Washington Mystics were likely the favorites going into the 3-Point Contest as the league’s top two 3-point shooters. A center vs. center finale would have been a triumph for frontcourt players over the guards and wings who typically get all the long-range shots. Gray is shooting 36% on 3s so far this season.

The Skills Challenge featured a timed obstacle course to test skills such as dribbling, bounce passes, chest passes and outlet passes, plus elbow jump shots and 3-point shots from the top of the arc and the corner. The 3-Point Contest is a two-round, timed competition with five shooting locations around the arc.

In the WNBA’s first 3×3 Showcase, the Olympic team of Dearica Hamby (Los Angeles Sparks), Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), Hailey Van Lith (TCU) and Cierra Burdick (currently playing in Spain) defeated a U23 team featuring college stars including Christina Dalce (Maryland), Morgan Maly (Creighton), Cotie McMahon (Ohio State), Lucy Olsen (Iowa), Mikaylah Williams (LSU) and Serah Williams (Wisconsin).

The 3×3 game is played on a half court with a 10 minute clock. Each 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 21 points wins or the team with the most points after 10 minutes is over.

This is how the action went on Friday night:

LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER30 updates

  • Allisha Gray Makes History

    Allisha Gray executed the skills competition and 3-point contest with aplomb tonight, a historic first for the competition.

  • Jonquel Jones misses one point to Gray’s 22. Gray leaves Phoenix with $115,150 for winning both games. That’s 62% of her 2024 base salary.

  • Gray finishes with 22 in the final round, one less than her score in round 1. Jones is better. She lost to Allie Quigley in 2021.

  • We almost had a center vs. center 3-point contest final. It’s Jonquel Jones (25 points in round 1) vs. Allisha Gray (23 points) going for the money.

  • Footprint center is LIT as he watches Jonquel Jones make all those 3-pointers. LET’S GO, PICK A 6’4″ CENTER THREE-POINT!

  • Kayla McBride scores 20 at the buzzer. The Lynx veteran was an absolute heater from beyond the arc earlier this season, leading Minnesota to the Commissioner’s Cup title last month. Mabrey is now out.

  • Marina Mabrey makes her first appearance in that brand new No. 4 Connecticut Sun jersey. She finishes with 19 and her new teammates, Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, cheer her on from the big screen.

  • Allisha Gray could really take home $110K if she wins this one too. She starts the competition ranked 23.

  • The 3-point contest appears wide open this year. Sabrina Ionescu, who set the record for a WNBA and NBA 3-point event last year, is focused on Team USA and has declined a spot. Caitlin Clark said she declined in order to get some much-needed rest and enjoy her first All-Star. And legendary competitor Allie Quigley, who has been out of the W for a few seasons, has dropped out.

    Tonight’s contestants: Allisha Gray (Dream), Stefanie Dolson (Mystics), Jonquel Jones (Liberty), Kayla McBride (Lynx) and Marina Mabrey (Sun’s newest member).

  • Do you think winning these All-Star events doesn’t matter to the players, other than bragging rights? Allisha Gray earned 31% of her 2024 WNBA salary tonight. What if she wins the 3-point contest?

  • Rhyne Howard has missed some time recently with an ankle injury, and her Olympic status seemed uncertain. She had 12 points tonight. “Shooter’s shoot,” she told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the win.

  • Rebounding kept U23 in the race, but time ran out and Team USA secured the win. You can watch Hamby, Burdick, Howard and Van Lith in Paris this month.

  • They announced Diana Taurasi on the jumbtron. Feel obligated to mention Penny Taylor, her wife who is here with her tonight, is also a WNBA icon and a champion in Phoenix.

  • There’s been so much talk about growth this season. Two years ago, the skills and 3-point competition was held in the Chicago Convention Center with no fans. Now, Footprint is nearly full and a full-fledged VIB E. A big Mercury merchandise presence, but also a lot of people walking around outside today in All-Star jerseys for Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

  • The arena erupts as Hall of Fame legend Cheryl Miller is introduced on the big screen. She was the Mercury’s first head coach and led the franchise to its first Finals appearance. It’s great to see history being celebrated here in Phoenix this weekend.

  • Hailey Van Lith talked this morning about how different training is for 3×3 compared to playing a college season. First, the game is usually played outside (like in Paris). She was recently in Las Vegas and trained outside in the middle of the day around 2pm to experience the full impact of the desert heat.

  • LSU star Flau’jae Johnson is on the sidelines enjoying the All-Star weekend festivities. How long until she takes part in this event?

  • The U23 team, which will compete in the FIBA ​​3×3 Nations League tournament next week in Mexico City, consists of students Cotie McMahon (Ohio State), Lucy Olsen (Iowa), Mikaylah Williams (LSU), Christina Dalce (Maryland), Morgan Maly (Creighton) and Serah Williams (Wisconsin).

  • Cierra Burdick, a former WNBA player, is often called the mother of 3×3. I spoke to her this morning about the game. Team USA is treating this as a training camp for Paris.

    “If you don’t go hard, you’re going to get embarrassed,” Burdick said of the format in general. “I don’t want to get embarrassed, and we’re using this as preparation as well.”

    Team USA consists of Burdick, Hailey Van Lith (former Louisville/LSU, current TCU guard), Dream guard Rhyne Howard and Sparks forward Dearica Hamby.

  • The Kia car is exciting, and for the first time in All-Stars history, we’ll see a 3×3 competition between Team USA and the U23 team. This is what I’m most excited for. The format is really starting to take off — it could even be a developmental system for the WNBA — and it’s a first look at Team USA before it goes for a second straight Olympic gold medal

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