INDIANAPOLIS, July 18 (Reuters)
New York Liberty teammates Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud swept the opening night of the WNBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis on Friday, winning the 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge, respectively, to bring more hardware to New York. Ionescu made 11 straight shots en route to her second career title in the event, obliterating the defending champion Allisha Gray with 30 points, after Cloud sprinted through the passing-and-shooting gauntlet earlier in the evening. The New York Liberty are on cloud 9 following their title run.
The New York Liberty follow up their title win with more silverware
It was another high point for the new teammates, after Cloud signed with the defending champions in the off-season and immediately made an impact, helping New York to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. “She continues to bring a different element to our team every single night,” said Liberty captain Ionescu.
“Her kind of willingness to do everything, whatever it takes, for the team to win is what she’s going to be able to do every single night. It takes a pro’s pro to be able to do that.” – Sabrina Ionescu
Fans poured into Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday for the prelude to Saturday’s All-Star Game, where Cloud brought the house down as she edged Seattle Storm’s Erica Wheeler by 1.1 seconds in the Skills Challenge to walk away $55,000 richer. She kissed her teammate and girlfriend Isabelle Harrison on the sideline after taking the prize, later promising the purse would go toward a down payment on a home together.
Natasha Cloud shows her class in the All-Star event amongst several stars
“Baby, you’re gonna get that house,” Cloud said. The moment was validation for Cloud, who was included in the event despite being passed up for the All-Star roster yet again.
“I’m meant to be here, meant to be on this level, I’m confident in who I am, I know who I am, and whether I get the flowers or not, I do my job,” – Natasha Cloud
She stayed on the sidelines to cheer on Ionescu, who had a target on her back after winning the 3-Point Contest with a record-breaking 37 points two years ago and nervously wiped her hands on her jersey before picking up the first ball. She came up short of her record mark but dazzled with a series of clutch baskets and later said she had promised half her prize to fellow competitor Sonia Citron, a rookie for the Washington Mystics.
“I obviously have to hold up my end of the bargain…that takes a lot of courage to be able to do that as a rookie,” Ionescu told reporters. “I think I might have a limit on Venmo.” The event started with the stars of the WNBA wearing warm-up shirts that read, “Pay us what you owe us.” Their demands for higher annual pay come on the back of the NBA MVP receiving a record-breaking contract extension. Which probably left a bad taste in the mouths of the WNBA stars.
The WNBA continues to bring in more fans as the league grows
The event was undoubtedly a success as the Gainbridge Fieldhouse was packed to capacity with fans. A far cry from the NBA All-Star event, which has come under heavy scrutiny in recent years. The fans are behind the WNBA stars, evident by their chants to “Pay them” that rang out from the stands when WNBA President Cathy Engelbert stepped onto the court after the All-Star game. With the league confirming two new teams as part of an expansion, the WNBA can take solace in the fact that the league is growing in all aspects. We expect the negotiations to deliver some results for equal pay for the WNBA stars soon.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Indianapolis; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
