Kerr praises Steph for competing in 3-point shootout vs. Sabrina

Kerr praises Steph for competing in 3-point shootout vs. Sabrina originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

All eyes were on Steph Curry during his epic 3-point shooting competition with New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu during NBA All-Star Weekend, including the eyes of his coach, Steve Kerr.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday after a Warriors practice, Kerr was asked if he watched the competition and what he thought of it. After explaining that he did indeed watch the contest, Kerr lauded Curry for agreeing to take on one of the WNBA’s best shooters, noting how important it was for lifting up the women’s game.

“I loved it, first of all, Sabrina was awesome, she got hot, and she stepped up to the moment,” Kerr said. "I loved it from the standpoint of…I’m not sure how many people other than Steph would do that because I know how he thinks and he’s not worried about anything other than helping the women’s game get to a different level of recognition, helping the women’s players get recognized for their talent.

“The talent level in the WNBA is so dramatically better now than 10 years ago and I know the only thing Steph was thinking about was helping advance the women’s game, there wasn’t one thought of ‘What’s in it for me, what if she beats me,’ there was none of that.

Curry had to fend off a stellar performance from Ionescu, who started off the competition with a flurry in scoring 26 points, which would have won the men’s 3-point competition. Given his status as the greatest 3-point shooter in NBA history, Curry nailed a few crucial shots late to win the showdown with 29 points.

“And then, she puts up a huge number that might have won the men’s competition and he’s like ‘alright, I’ll just make a few at the end to win the whole thing,’ and you couldn’t have scripted that any better, but it shows you who Steph Curry is," Kerr added. "Just his willingness to be part of that, the guy never ceases to amaze me with his desire to lift up other people.”

Ionescu, who starred as a prep at Miramonte High School in the Bay Area, has been leading a resurgence in the WNBA in recent years, as the women’s game continues to grow in popularity. With the 2025 NBA All-Star game being held at Chase Center in San Francisco, there is plenty of speculation on what will happen in the next chapter of this 3-point shootout.

Curry, Kerr and the rest of the Warriors will resume their season with a big-time showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday at the Chase Center as Golden State makes its second-half push for a playoff spot.

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