Brian Windhorst claims NBA 'needs' WNBA after canceled 3-point contest
Yesterday at 08:27 PM
The cancellation of the NBA's planned 3-point contest, which was expected to feature stars like the Golden State Warrior's Stephen Curry and WNBA stars Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty and possibly Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever, sparked discussion about the relationship between the two leagues. During a segment on Stephen A. Smith's "First Take" on Thursday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested that the NBA "needs" WNBA stars more than the reverse when it comes to events like All-Star Weekend.
"The NBA needs WNBA stars more on All-Star Weekend than vice versa," Windhorst said. "WNBA All-Star Weekend was awesome last year."
The debate arose after plans to recreate last year's high-profile 3-point showdown between Curry and Ionescu fell through. Clark, who was a key target for this year’s contest, declined the invitation, stating that she wanted her first 3-point competition to take place at the WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis this summer. With no viable alternative to elevate the event, the NBA chose to cancel the competition altogether, focusing instead on its restructured All-Star Game format.
Windhorst's remarks came during a broader discussion about the growing traction of WNBA events. Guest Elle Duncan highlighted the increasing viewership numbers for the WNBA’s 3-point contest, which saw a 142% (695,000 viewers) rise in ratings compared to the previous year, while last year's Curry-Ionescu showdown boosted the NBA All-Star Weekend's ratings by 31% (4.6 million viewers).
"They are absolutely saying 'You are no longer going to loan our names out. Steph, you want to come battle me in a 3-point contest, how about you show some love, something that you've always done in this space, and make sure you help our product grow as well as opposed to just continue seeing you get bigger numbers when you already have them,'" Duncan said.
Smith emphasized the need for All-Star Weekend to showcase effort and authenticity.
"When those ladies go out on the court, they care," Smith said. "I hope we see that same energy from the NBA this weekend."
The idea of integrating WNBA stars into the NBA's marquee events has gained traction in recent years, with last year's Curry-Ionescu contest serving as a prime example. However, the league's inability to replicate or build upon that momentum this year has left fans and analysts questioning the NBA's execution.
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