NBA commentator Kenny Smith faces criticism for his comments on Sabrina Ionescu following the 3-point contest.
During NBA All-Star Weekend festivities on Saturday night, Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry and New York Liberty player Sabrina Ionescu showcased their shooting skills in a captivating 3-point showdown. This marked the inaugural occurrence of a 3-point contest between NBA and WNBA stars.
While Ionescu came remarkably close to outshooting Curry, she ultimately fell short with a score of 26 against Curry’s 29. Notably, Ionescu took her shots from the NBA 3-point line, which is situated approximately 12 to 18 inches farther from the WNBA line. Additionally, she utilized the WNBA basketball, which is smaller than its NBA counterpart.
Smith later expressed his opinions about Ionescu shooting from the same line as Curry, despite the WNBA’s 3-point line being closer to the goal.
“She should have shot it from the women’s line,” Smith said. “That would have been a fair contest. I still support Sabrina. But she should have shot it from at the women shoot from.”
Shortly after, Smith received some backlash on social media for his remarks.
“Kenny Smith was an absolute clown last night lol,” Savage Sports wrote on X. “Sabrina Ionescu narrowly loses to Steph Curry in the 3 point contest. She would’ve tied the other men for the lead. And all Kenny Smith has to add is ‘she still should’ve shot from the women’s 3 point line.’ NBA probably should do better than that lol.”
Nevertheless, the event served as a fundraiser for their respective foundations, adding a philanthropic dimension to the spirited competition. Despite the intense rivalry on the court, both competitors departed with smiles, reflecting the camaraderie and goodwill fostered by the occasion.
“I don’t know what’s going to come out of it, but me and Sabrina talked about how cool of an opportunity it is to do something that’s never been done before in our game,” Curry said. “And for her to have a presence on this stage is going to do a lot to inspire the next generation of young boys and girls that want to compete and see themselves in either one of us. Wherever it goes from there, we know we can kind of plant our flag as doing something really special.”
Kenny Smith says Sabrina pic.twitter.com/sF8wQ1V8kT
— sportsvids99 (@sportsvids991) February 18, 2024
