Like Biggie Smalls said back in the 90s, ‘It was all a dream’. Atlanta Dream All-Star Allisha Gray had a dream performance for the ages on night one of WNBA All-Star weekend on Friday. She became the first player to win both the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest.
Gray was victorious in the All-Star Skills Challenge by finishing the course in 32.1 seconds in the final round. That beat out the Phoenix Mercury’s Sophie Cunningham (34.5), who had the advantage of a raucous home crowd on her side at Footprint Center.
The Dream guard moved on to the event’s finals with a blazing time of 31.2 seconds in the first round. She and Cunningham (35.5 seconds) vanquished a talented field of competitors which included Brittney Griner, Marina Mabrey and Kelsey Mitchell. Mitchell replaced Erica Wheeler, who unfortunately could not attend the competition due to a canceled flight. They went on to battle it out for the trophy and $55,000 in prize money, not to mention bragging rights.
The eight-year WNBA veteran, out of the University of South Carolina, followed that up by defeating former MVP Jonquel Jones in the 3-Point Contest with 22 points. Jones finished right behind her with 21, missing the final money ball shot that would have given her the victory.
“I was nervous because she went on a shooting streak,” Gray said. “J.J.’s a great 3-point shooter. I even told her before, I was like, ‘I’m familiar with your shooting game. I know you finna go out there and kill it.’
“But when she got to that last one and the score was kind of close and she missed it, it was like sigh relief because she’s a great shooter.”
Embed from Getty ImagesBy winning both contests, Gray took home $115,150, which is 62% of her 2024 WNBA salary of $185,000. Winners of each event earned $2,575 from the league, but also $55,000 from Aflac in a sponsorship deal.
“Now that I think about it, had a good nap, maybe I’ll go on a little golfing spree, shopping spree,” Gray said to ESPN’s Holly Rowe, after saying earlier that she might use the $55,000 to start a business.
Jones (40%) and the Washington Mystics’ Stefanie Dolson (50%) were the favorites in the 3-Point Contest as the league’s top two 3-point shooters in the competition. A center vs. center matchup in the final would have been a major sense of accomplishment and pride for frontcourt players over the guards and wings who, for the most part, usually get all the perimeter shots. Gray is shooting 36% on 3s so far this season.
The Skills Challenge included a timed obstacle course to test skills like dribbling, bounce passes, chest passes and outlet passes, plus elbow jump-shots and 3-point shots from the top of the arc and the corner. The 3-Point Contest is a two-round, timed competition with five shooting locations around the arc.
In the WNBA’s inaugural 3×3 Showcase, the Olympic team featuring the Los Angeles Sparks’ Dearica Hamby, Rhyne Howard of the Atlanta Dream, TCU’s Hailey Van Lith and Cierra Burdick (currently playing in Spain) defeated the U23 team of college stars, including Maryland’s Christina Dalce, Morgan Maly from Creighton, Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon, Iowa’s Lucy Olsen, Mikaylah Williams from LSU and Wisconsin’s Serah Williams.
The 3×3 game is played on a halfcourt with a 10-minute clock. Any shot attempted inside the 3-point arc is worth one point, while shots taken outside the arc are for two points. The first team to score 21 points wins or whichever team has the most points after 10 minutes is up.
In their first appearance of the year, the USA 3×3 Olympic team beat the U23 national team 19-16 at the first night of the WNBA All-Star weekend.
