Stephen Curry, Sabrina Ionescu Compete in 3-point Contest
Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty went head-to-head with the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry this weekend in the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend three-point contest. Ionescu, who began her professional career as the first pick in the 2020 overall WNBA draft, gave Curry a run for his money, but ultimately lost the competition 29–26. Both stars each had the opportunity to score from seven different spots around the three-point line for 70 seconds. Through the first six spots, Ionescu held the lead, 22–21, however, Curry was able to come back when they reached the right corner — one of his strongest positions on the court.
In 2023, Ionescu scored 37 points in the three-point contest, the highest score in both WNBA and NBA all-star history, breaking Curry’s previous record of 31 points. To put the achievement into perspective, she was in her third year of professional basketball, up against a two-time NBA MVP with 14 years of NBA experience and four NBA championships under his belt. Ionescu may have lost the competition, but she is earning the praise of sports commentators and fans across the country, making huge strides for women’s pro basketball.
MLB Working On Uniform Malfunction
This week in sports controversy, Major League Baseball, in partnership with Nike, has produced a new wardrobe of high-performance uniforms for all players. Fans were in for an unpleasant surprise when the 2024 spring training media day photos were published. The thin, breathable material in the pants is apparently, to the dismay of many outspoken players, see-through; one can easily see the tucked-in jerseys, and even the boxers of baseball superstars.
The MLB Players Association is reportedly working to fix the pants before the regular season kicks in, with Executive Director Tony Clark urging everyone to remain calm. Players across the league have expressed other concerns with the fabric’s texture and quality, remarking that they feel like “knock-offs.”
William Byron Wins Daytona 500
This past Monday, William Byron clinched his second Daytona 500 win for Hendrick Motorsports. This was Byron’s 11th victory since he began racing for NASCAR in 2015, and it came on the 40th anniversary of Hendrick Motorsports’ founding — a huge moment for the racing company. The finish was a close call, with Byron just a split second ahead of Alex Bowman, and two drivers crashing out right beside him just moments before victory. Up until that moment, he was hardly a contender, leading only the final four laps.
The 26-year-old spoke humbly about the victory, hardly able to believe what he had achieved in winning one of the most iconic races in the country. He spoke of his father, who is currently too sick to travel, and how he wished he could have been there to see him win the race he used to take him to see as a boy. These wholesome statements came just after a victory lap and celebration with his crew.
History Made In Women’s Pro Hockey
This past Friday, a game between Toronto and Montreal broke the attendance record for women’s pro ice hockey, including the NCAA, world championships, and the Olympics, with 19,285 devoted fans. The teams were previously to face off at Mattamy Athletic Center, the old Toronto Maple Leafs arena, which seats about 2,600. However, after the previous 12 games sold out, PWHL leadership decided it was time for an upgrade. The league was able to work with the NHL to use Scotiabank Arena, home of the NHL’s Maple Leafs and the NBA’s Raptors, seating up to 19,800 and allowing thousands more to experience the excitement of professional ice hockey.
A home game in 2023 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, a massively popular team in pro men’s ice hockey, would draw an average of 18,753 fans, 532 short of the game this past weekend.
