Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud Deliver Big Wins for New York Liberty
The New York Liberty dominated WNBA All-Star Friday night with Sabrina Ionescu reclaiming her 3-point crown and Natasha Cloud capturing her first-ever skills competition title, sealing an All-Star sweep for the franchise.
Ionescu, who previously made history in 2023 with a record-breaking 37-point performance, put up 30 points in the final round, edging out defending champion Allisha Gray. The total ties the second-highest score in event history, matching Allie Quigley’s previous mark.
“It’s fun, I was so excited for her,” Ionescu said about Cloud. “We were talking about it before we even came out here — about being able to participate in it together and cheer each other on.”
Ionescu, who skipped last year’s WNBA 3-point contest to prep for the Olympics, returned to Indianapolis—the same city where she challenged Steph Curry at the NBA All-Star Weekend—and this time, she didn’t leave without the trophy. “I called Steph and showed off the trophy,” she joked.
Natasha Cloud Shines in First All-Star Weekend Appearance
Liberty teammate Natasha Cloud, making her first-ever All-Star weekend appearance in her 11-year career, blazed through the obstacle course in 36.4 seconds to win the skills challenge. Despite missing all her corner shots, Cloud beat Seattle’s Erica Wheeler by 1.1 seconds in the final round.
After winning, Cloud celebrated by hugging Ionescu and lifting her girlfriend and teammate Isabelle Harrison, who had jokingly said the prize money would go toward a down payment on a house.
“You’re gonna get that house,” Cloud promised after winning.
Cloud earned $55,000 from Aflac in addition to $2,575 from the league, per the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement. Ionescu received $60,000 from Aflac plus the same league bonus.
Ionescu Shares Her Winnings With Rookie Citron
In a standout gesture of sportsmanship, Ionescu announced that she would split her prize money with rookie Sonia Citron, who scored 19 points in the 3-point contest’s first round.
“I told Sonya that I would give her half if I won when we were sitting on the bench,” Ionescu said. “She was nervous, and I was nervous for her. Obviously have to hold up my end of the bargain.”
Defending Champ Gray Falls Short, Plum Misses History
Allisha Gray, who made headlines last year by winning both the 3-point and skills competitions, finished with 22 points, falling short of a repeat. Kelsey Plum also ended her run early, missing a chance to become the first player to win an All-Star MVP (2022), skills title (2023), and 3-point contest.
Lexie Hull, filling in for injured hometown star Caitlin Clark, finished fourth with 20 points, while Citron ended fifth. Despite not competing, Clark energized the crowd from the sidelines.
Gray, wearing custom A’ja Wilson sneakers, struggled in the skills contest after missing all three chest passes and clocking in at 39.4 seconds, well behind Cloud and Wheeler.
