Why Caitlin Clark, others declining WNBA 3-point contest invitations could hurt event's future
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Caitlin Clark declined the 2026 WNBA 3-point contest invitation, marking her third non-participation: she declined as a rookie, missed last year in Indianapolis due to injury, and declined again this year.
- Sabrina Ionescu, the reigning champion and all-time record-holder with 37 points (the highest in the event's history including the NBA), also turned down her invitation.
- Kayla McBride, the WNBA's active career leader in made 3-pointers with 793, declined and may not even be in Chicago after being snubbed for an All-Star reserve spot.
- The WNBA filled the expanded six-player field with No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd, Marina Mabrey, Rhyne Howard, Bridget Carleton, Janelle Salaun, and Natisha Hiedeman — only Mabrey and Howard have prior contest experience, and neither has won.
- The contest headlines All-Star Friday Night at Wintrust Arena in Chicago and expands to six participants for the first time since 2023, but the league couldn't announce the field until a few days before the event.
- The article draws a direct parallel to LeBron James never participating in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, arguing the WNBA's marquee event could suffer a similar fate if Clark continues opting out.
Why it matters: The sport's most popular player (Clark), its reigning 3-point champion (Ionescu), and its active 3-point leader (McBride) are all skipping the marquee event, threatening the contest's ability to showcase the league's top talent. The late field announcement — days before the event — echoes the NBA Slam Dunk Contest's decline tied to LeBron James' absence.
