INDIANAPOLIS -- New York Liberty teammates stole the show in Friday night’s festivities at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, igniting the All‑Star Weekend build‑up with a clean sweep of the Kia Skills Challenge and Starry 3‑Point Contest.
Kia Skills Challenge
Friday night at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend delivered high-level competition and standout performances during the Kia Skills Challenge and STARRY 3-Point Contest, both held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The night kicked off with the Skills Challenge, featuring Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx), Natasha Cloud (New York Liberty), Skylar Diggins (Seattle Storm), Erica Wheeler (Seattle Storm), and Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), the reigning champion of both the Skills and 3-Point contests. The timed obstacle course tested passing, dribbling, and shooting precision. In the first round, Cloud posted the fastest time at 34.1 seconds, followed by Wheeler at 36.5. Gray clocked in at 39.4, Williams at 42.0, and Diggins was the first eliminated with a time of 44.3.
In the finals, it came down to Cloud and Wheeler. Wheeler finished her run in 37.5 seconds, and Cloud beat her by just 1.1 seconds to claim the title. Cloud, now the second Liberty player to win the Skills Challenge after Sabrina Ionescu in 2022, credited her calm approach and confidence in passing. “I knew I was going to hit my passes in these obstacles,” she said. “Once I got to the last STARRY ball, I looked up at the clock and had three seconds. I said, ‘Don’t smoke this layup.’”
Cloud plans to use the $55,000 prize money for a down payment on a home. Wheeler, who spent six seasons in Indiana before joining Seattle, still felt the crowd behind her. “I honestly feel like I have home court advantage,” she said. “Thanks for cheering for me even if I'm with the Seattle Storm.” After the buzzer, Wheeler and Ionescu both ran over to embrace Cloud in celebration.
Starry 3-Point Contest
In the 3-Point Contest presented by Starry, the field featured Sonia Citron (Washington Mystics), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Kelsey Plum (Los Angeles Sparks), and Lexie Hull (Indiana Fever), who stepped in for Caitlin Clark. In the first round, Ionescu and Gray tied with the top score of 25. Plum followed closely with 22, Hull had 20, and Citron was eliminated with 19.
In the final round, Ionescu pulled away with a dominant 30-point performance, defeating Gray’s 22 to reclaim the 3-Point Contest crown. Ionescu's 30 points are tied for the second-most in a single round in WNBA 3-Point Contest history. Before the final round, Ionescu said she just wanted to “stay in the moment, be where my feet are at, and feed off this amazing crowd.” Gray, aiming for back-to-back titles, stayed composed throughout: “Take my time, don’t focus on the time… just stay poised.”
One of the night’s quiet standouts was Kelsey Plum. Her 22 points in the first round of the 3-Point Contest were strong enough to beat expectations, even if she didn’t reach the final. It is a huge step up compared to her 14 points in 2022. But beyond the contest, Plum has been shooting more consistently this season than she did in 2022. Plum is playing smarter, steadier basketball and it shows as she leads the Sparks. Even if she didn’t leave with a trophy Friday night, she showed she’s a sharper shooter and a more complete player than the All-Star version of herself from three years ago.
In all, All-Star Friday night was full of precision, pressure, and memorable performances. Cloud’s clutch finish, Ionescu’s shooting masterclass, and Plum’s steady evolution set the tone heading into the weekend’s main event.