Tag: 2024 NBA 3-point contest

Kenny Smith issued a feckless non-apology for Sabrina Ionescu comments at All-Star weekend

Kenny Smith says he was advocating for Sabrina Ionescu, but nobody is entitled to believe him.

Kenny Smith’s All-Star Weekend comments on Sabrina Ionescu have the internet buzzing, but he’s not backing down. He recently told Stephen A. Smith that he was advocating for Sabrina when he suggested she should have shot from the WNBA line against Stephen Curry.

The first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-point contest was nearly soured by comments made by TNT analyst Kenny Smith. Kenny surmised that Sabrina Ionescu should have shot from the WNBA line against Stephen Curry to make things “fair.” He also compared the contest to why gender-specific tees are used in golf.

Basketball fans immediately roasted him, but Kenny argued that he was advocating for Sabrina during a recent appearance on the Stephen A. Smith show. (See the clip below and the 23:03 mark of the YouTube video.)

Here’s what Smith said:

“I think it’s much ado about nothing, Stephen. Most people who know basketball understood what I was talking about. Actually, I was advocating for her more than anything else.“

Kenny tells Stephen A. that basketball is muscle memory and that if you are not shooting from where you practice, it will mess with your accuracy. He admits that both players could have made other adjustments but re-emphasizes that muscle memory is at one line.

What stands out most about his new comments is that Kenny quips, “Most people just don’t check the tape. They want just to check the bait.” (24:56 mark of the above video)  The irony is that if he had bothered to check the tape on Sabrina, he would have known she didn’t shoot from the WNBA line. When she tweeted that she would shoot from the NBA line, it was because that was already her normal range.

For example, during an August 2023 game, Sabrina made six three-pointers well beyond the WNBA line. At the 1:14 mark of the video below, the broadcast can be heard saying, “Look at how deep she is, and that is normal range for her.” She likely couldn’t shoot as many 3-pointers as Steph Curry during the contest because she isn’t shooting that kind of high volume regularly (over 15 consecutive shots), not because she isn’t capable.

Sabrina earned the same amount of points during her shootout with Steph as Damian Lillard, Karl-Anthony Towns, Trae Young, and Tyrese Haliburton did from the same NBA line. How quickly people forget that Sabrina owns the 3-point contest record for both the WNBA and NBA. Steph Curry does not hold that record despite being the greatest shooter ever. So, Sabrina almost taking down the metaphorical Thanos of basketball on her first try should speak volumes about her abilities.

Damian Lillard hit TWO half-court 3-pointers before winning MVP of the All-Star Game

Dame is absolutely limitless.

After winning the 2024 NBA 3-point contest, Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard had the highlight of the night in the All-Star Game.

The eight-time All-Star, who was named to the All-Star starting lineup during his first season playing in the Eastern Conference, was outstanding during his time in Indiana.

Lillard, who is known for his limitless range as a 3-point shooter, proved it once again during the All-Star Game by casually pulling up for a shot from halfcourt. He made it look too easy.

UPDATE: Later during the second half, Lillard (who was named MVP of the 2024 All-Star Game) hit another half-court shot.

This was the second:

Fans criticized refs for allowing 3-point contest participants to shoot with their feet on the line

If fans are betting on who wins, these rules need to get enforced.

For the second year in a row, Damian Lillard won the NBA’s 3-point contest. But it didn’t come without its moments of controversy.

Even after the competition was over and Lillard was crowned champion, the Bucks star point guard acknowledged that the refs were not exactly showing a lot of due diligence during the competition.

He said that while he saw referees on the court, he noticed that they weren’t enforcing the rules of the contest.

While the participants may have found themselves a bit distracted by the fancy LED court at Lucas Oil Stadium, the refs had more responsibility to not count the shots that were taken while players had their feet on the line.

Especially if fans are betting on who wins this competition, long 2-pointers shouldn’t count and these rules need to be enforced.