The NBA’s annual 3-Point Contest will have some competition in 2024.
While the best 3-point shooters in the NBA will still go head-to-head on All-Star Saturday Night, a new event will take place between the 3-Point Contest and the Dunk Contest: “Stephen vs. Sabrina,” a 3-point challenge featuring Warriors star Stephen Curry and Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu.
The challenge will follow the same rules as the 3-Point Contest, only Curry will shoot from NBA range with NBA basketballs while Ionescu will shoot from WNBA range with WNBA basketballs. Bragging rights and donations to their respective foundations are on the line.
Curry is widely considered to be the greatest shooter in NBA history. Ionescu is only four seasons into her WNBA career, but she’s already breaking records with her 3-point shooting. It should be a show.
Before Curry and Ionescu face off, here are the stats you need to know about each player’s 3-point prowess.
Stephen Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu career stats
The No. 7 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Curry is in his 15th season with the Warriors.
For his career, Curry is averaging 24.8 points while making 3.9 3-pointers per game at a 42.7% clip. He’s already the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made and is trending toward cracking 4,000 career 3s at some point next season.
The No. 1 pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, Ionescu is entering her fifth season with the Liberty. She has a career average of 15.7 points while making 2.6 3-pointers per game at a 37.7% clip.
Ionescu had a historic season in 2023. Her 128 3-pointers set a single-season WNBA record.
| Stephen Curry | Per Game | Sabrina Ionescu |
| 24.8 | Points | 15.7 |
| 3.9 | 3-point makes | 2.6 |
| 9.2 | 3-point attempts | 6.9 |
| 42.7 | 3-point % | 37.7 |
Not only has Curry had a much longer career than Ionescu to date, but the NBA’s regular season (82 games) is much longer than the WNBA’s regular season (now 40 games).
| Stephen Curry | Totals | Sabrina Ionescu |
| 932 | Games | 105 |
| 23,113 | Points | 1,646 |
| 3,642 | 3-point makes | 272 |
| 8,528 | 3-point attempts | 721 |
| 42.7 | 3-point % | 37.7 |
Stephen Curry 3-point shooting stats
Curry has led the NBA in 3s made in seven of his 14 seasons. He made a career-best 5.3 3-pointers per game in the 2020-21 season and shot a career-best 45.5% from 3 in the 2011-12 season (though he was limited to 26 games due to injury).
Curry is still setting the NBA on fire in his mid-30s. The 35-year-old is on pace to lead the NBA in 3-pointers made once again this season while knocking them down at one of the best rates in the league.
There are no limits to Curry’s shooting. Only two players have made more pull-up 3s than him so far in 2023-24 and only four have made more catch-and-shoot 3s. He’s deadly both on and off the ball, and while he favors above the break 3s, he’s a scorching 32-for-54 (59.3%) from the corners this season.
Here are Curry’s 3-point shooting stats by season:
| Season | Games | 3PM | 3PA | 3PT% | PTS |
| 2009-10 | 80 | 2.1 | 4.8 | 43.7 | 17.5 |
| 2010-11 | 74 | 2.0 | 4.6 | 44.2 | 18.6 |
| 2011-12 | 26 | 2.1 | 4.7 | 45.5 | 14.7 |
| 2012-13 | 78 | 3.5 | 7.7 | 45.3 | 22.9 |
| 2013-14 | 78 | 3.3 | 7.9 | 42.4 | 24.0 |
| 2014-15 | 80 | 3.6 | 8.1 | 44.3 | 23.8 |
| 2015-16 | 79 | 5.1 | 11.2 | 45.4 | 30.1 |
| 2016-17 | 79 | 4.1 | 10.0 | 41.1 | 25.3 |
| 2017-18 | 51 | 4.2 | 9.8 | 42.3 | 26.4 |
| 2018-19 | 69 | 5.1 | 11.7 | 43.7 | 27.3 |
| 2019-20 | 5 | 2.4 | 9.8 | 24.5 | 20.8 |
| 2020-21 | 63 | 5.3 | 12.7 | 42.1 | 32.0 |
| 2021-22 | 64 | 4.5 | 11.7 | 38.0 | 25.5 |
| 2022-23 | 57 | 4.9 | 11.4 | 42.7 | 29.4 |
| 2023-24 | 50 | 5.0 | 12.0 | 42.1 | 28.0 |
Sabrina Ionescu 3-point shooting stats
The 2023 season was Ionescu’s best season yet.
The 26-year-old appeared in 36 of a possible 40 games and made 3.6 3-pointers per contest at a 44.8% clip. Curry has matched those numbers only once in his career — his historic 2015-16 season when he set the record for most 3s in a single season.
Ionescu also did her best work from above the break last season, draining 44.5% of those opportunities. She only attempted 20 3-pointers from the corner but made 10 of them (50.0%).
Of the 128 3-pointers Ionescu made, only 16 were assisted. She’s a deadly shooter off the dribble.
Here are Ionescu’s 3-point shooting stats by season:
| Season | Games | 3PM | 3PA | 3PT% | PTS |
| 2020 | 3 | 2.3 | 6.7 | 35.0 | 18.3 |
| 2021 | 30 | 1.8 | 5.5 | 32.5 | 11.7 |
| 2022 | 36 | 2.3 | 6.9 | 33.3 | 17.4 |
| 2023 | 36 | 3.6 | 7.9 | 44.8 | 17.0 |
Stephen Curry 3-Point Contest history
Curry has participated in the NBA’s 3-Point Contest seven times in his career. His two wins tie him with Peja Stojakovic, Jeff Hornacek, Mark Price and Jason Kapone for the second-most all-time.
In 2021, Curry set a 3-Point Contest record by scoring 31 of a possible 40 points. He also shares the record for most shots made in one round (21) with Craig Hodges.
| Year | Score |
| 2010 | 18 / 30 (First Round) |
| 17 / 30 (Second Round) | |
| 2013 | 18 / 30 (First Round) |
| 2014 | 16 / 30 (First Round) |
| 2015* | 23 / 34 (First Round) |
| 27 / 34 (Second Round) | |
| 2016 | 21 / 34 (First Round) |
| 23 / 34 (Second Round) | |
| 2019 | 27 / 34 (First Round) |
| 24 / 34 (Second Round) | |
| 2021* | 31 / 40 (First Round) |
| 28 / 40 (Second Round) |
*Won the 3-Point Contest
Sabrina Ionescu 3-Point Contest history
Ionescu participated in the WNBA’s 3-Point Contest for the first time in 2023. It was a performance to remember. Not only did she win the event, but she broke Curry’s record by scoring 37 of a possible 40 points. Ionescu made 25 of her final 27 3-point attempts.
| Year | Score |
| 2023* | 26 / 40 (First Round) |
| 37 / 40 (Second Round) |
*Won the 3-Point Contest