Three of the biggest names in the WNBA will not be in the 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend. Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu, and Kayla McBride all received invitations and all declined, according to CBS Sports.
The absences are notable. Ionescu is the reigning champion and holds the highest point total in the event's history, including the NBA, with a 37-point performance in 2023 when she made 25 of 27 shots, including 20 in a row. McBride is the active leader in career 3-pointers made with 793.
The 2026 field will include No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd, Marina Mabrey, Rhyne Howard, Bridget Carleton, Janelle Salaun, and Natisha Hiedeman. The contest expands to six participants for the first time since 2023 and headlines All-Star Friday Night at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Mabrey has tied both single-game records this season for points, with 53, and 3-pointers, with nine.
Clark's absence continues a pattern. She declined an invitation during her rookie season, missed the event last year due to injury, and has now said no again. Attempts to get her to participate in a two-on-two version of the Stephen vs. Sabrina challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend also did not succeed.
There are factors behind the decisions. Clark and Ionescu have both dealt with injuries they are still working through. McBride was not selected for an All-Star reserve spot and may not be in Chicago at all. More broadly, All-Star Weekend has grown into such a major commercial event that players, particularly those as prominent as Clark and Ionescu, move from appearance to appearance to meet sponsor and fan obligations. Declining the 3-point contest is one way players can preserve some time for themselves.
The league faced criticism for the timing of Ionescu's record-setting 2023 performance, which took place on a Friday afternoon. This year, the contest takes place on a Friday evening. The league was again unable to announce the field until a few days before the event.
The contest has produced genuine moments over the years. Allie Quigley winning a record fourth time in front of her home crowd in Chicago in 2022 stands among the all-star highlights. The 2026 field, despite the prominent absences, includes players capable of putting on a show. Mabrey in particular enters with strong recent credentials.
