Brooklyn Energy followed the NY Liberty straight to Indianapolis. Before even a single shot went up, New York City was already buzzing. Their star mascot, Ellie, was working the crowd, and by the end of the night, the Liberty had taken both crowns. Courtesy, Sabrina Ionescu (the Starry 3-Point Contest winner) and her teammate, Natasha Cloud (WNBA Skills Challenge winner). They were all smiles around the court; hopping, taking the victory parade, and spreading the Liberty word. But while New York commanded the spotlight, one rookie from Washington might have quietly walked away as the night’s most unexpected winner.

For Sabrina, nothing about the night felt unexpected. She had been there before. That win on Friday night marked her second 3-Point Contest title in the last three years. The 27-year-old became just the second player in WNBA history, alongside Allie Quigley (4x winner), to do it more than once. For Sab, it’s the latest chapter in a run that already includes her 37-of-40 masterpiece at the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game. It was a single-round record so unreal it led to 2024’s headline “Stephen vs. Sabrina” NBA-WNBA showdown.

That showdown was the first of its kind, also held in Indy. “It means everything. The last time I was here in Indy against Steph I lost, so I feel like I had to come back and redeem myself,” said Ionescu. That redemption came with a trophy and  $62,575 prize money, all thanks to Aflac’s bonus, and Sabrina Ionescu didn’t keep it all to herself. Staying true to a promise she made on the bench, the Liberty guard split the winnings down the middle.

Half of it went to her SI20 Foundation, and half went to rookie Sonia Citron. “I told Sonia that I would give her half if I won when we were sitting on the bench. As being the only rookie and, you know, she was nervous and I was nervous for her,” Ionescu said. If you were wondering what transpired next, Sonia Citron has got the answer. Yes, the Washington rookie was of the wrong belief too: “I didn’t think she was being for real at all,” she started. “But I guess she was. We just talked on the bus, and she was like, ‘No, I said it, so I have to do it.’”

Citron’s winning move? It came well before her 19-point performance in the round. It came when the rookie stepped up even if her résumé hadn’t screamed “favorite.” She had hit just 35 of 96 threes this season (36.5%), and she was ranking only 18th in the league’s Top 25 in 3-point shooting. Still, she didn’t hesitate to accept the invite, knowing opportunities like this don’t come often. Especially after what transpired earlier this year.

The NBA had floated plans for a two-on-two NBA vs. WNBA shootout at their All-Star Weekend in the Bay Area. They wanted to feature Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark against Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. However, the idea could never turn into reality, partly because Clark wanted her debut to happen in Indianapolis. “It’s in your own city. I was gonna do it no matter what. I wanted my first one to be here in front of our fans,” Clark said during a live podcast appearance. Later, though, Clark tweaked her right groin. That injury forced her to withdraw from both the contest and the All-Star Game she was set to captain.

But as it seems, even watching from the sidelines, Caitlin Clark’s head had some explosive ideas brewing. The ideas that were probably triggered by watching Sabrina Ionescu absolutely kill it, of course.

Sabrina Ionescu is on Caitlin Clark’s Mind and Free Agency Radar

After this 2025 season, Sabrina Ionescu will be an unrestricted free agent. And Caitlin Clark didn’t waste any time dropping a hint about what she wants. One of the coolest things about WNBA All-Star weekend is that we get to see rivals swap their usual jerseys for a weekend. And hang out together in the same locker room. Since this year’s game was at the Indiana Fever’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Fever fans got a special chance to watch their own trio of All-Stars: Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell, mixing with players they usually compete against.

That included Team Clark standouts like Ionescu, A’ja Wilson, Gabby Williams, Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Jackie Young, Kayla Thornton, Brittney Sykes, and Brionna Jones. Out of everyone, Clark and Sabrina Ionescu’s connection was obvious, even with some playful teasing during Saturday’s game. And once the weekend wrapped up, Clark switched from teammate to part-time recruiter. On July 20, Ionescu posted a series of photos from All-Star weekend on her Instagram.

It included one candid picture of her and Clark casually sitting together in the Fever locker room. Coming across it, Caitlin Clark couldn’t resist leaving a six-word comment that sounded like a recruiting pitch: “looking real natural in that (Indiana’s) lockerroom.” Moreover, with the new CBA set to boost veteran salaries next year, Sabrina Ionescu will be one of the most sought-after free agents. Maybe Clark’s playful comment wasn’t just a joke. Maybe it was an early move that Fever fans would absolutely love to see pay off.