Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu Skipping WNBA 3-Point Contest - Front Office Sports

What the report says

Front Office Sports reported that Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu are not on the six-player roster for the 2026 WNBA 3-Point Contest in Chicago. The league announced the field Tuesday, according to the report, with Azzi Fudd, the 2026 No. 1 pick, among the featured participants. All-Stars Marina Mabrey and Rhyne Howard are also in the contest, along with Bridget Carleton, Natisha Hiedeman and Janelle Salaün.

FOS said a source familiar with the process indicated some invited players turned down spots for different reasons. The outlet reported that the Indiana Fever, New York Liberty and representatives for Clark and Ionescu did not immediately provide comment. Clark has not yet taken part in the event since entering the WNBA. She was set to compete in 2025 in Indianapolis, but withdrew after suffering a groin injury shortly before All-Star Weekend; FOS noted that injury later ended her season.

Ionescu’s absence is also notable because she has won the event twice, in 2023 and 2025, making her one of the contest’s few multiple-time winners. FOS reported that she began the 2026 season injured and was not selected as an All-Star this year, her first miss since 2021. Other prominent shooters, including Paige Bueckers, Kelsey Plum and former champion Allisha Gray, are also not in the announced field.

The report added that prize money has increased under the new collective bargaining agreement: the winner is set to receive $20,000, and each participant $10,000, compared with much smaller league payouts last year. No additional corporate bonus had been announced at the time of the FOS article.