Which WNBA shooters will shine the brightest?
The WNBA will hold a pair of shooting competitions — the 3-Point Contest and Shooting Stars — Friday night amid the league’s 2026 All-Star festivities in Chicago.
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The 3-Point Contest field is headlined by Dallas Wings No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd, Toronto Tempo first-time All-Star Marina Mabrey and Atlanta Dream fourth-time All-Star Rhyne Howard.
The Shooting Stars event, meanwhile, was added to the All-Star Friday night slate this year in place of the Skills Challenge. The Shooting Stars features four teams with one current WNBA player, one WNBA legend and one standout high school player from Nike EYBL. The league billed the event as “bringing together three generations of women’s basketball talent in one competition.”
Team Washington, for example, has Mystics forward Shakira Austin and team legend Elena Delle Donne. Rebekkah Brunson, Lauren Jackson and Deanna “Tweety” Nolan are the other legends competing for Team Minnesota, Team Seattle and Team Dallas/Detroit, respectively.
From the full list of participants to how to watch the events and more, here’s what to know about WNBA All-Star Friday night:
When is the 2026 WNBA 3-Point Contest, Shooting Stars?
The 3-Point Contest and Shooting Stars will be held Friday, July 24.
What time does the 2026 WNBA 3-Point Contest, Shooting Stars start?
The action gets underway at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT.
Where is the 2026 WNBA 3-Point Contest, Shooting Stars being held?
Wintrust Arena, home of the Chicago Sky, is hosting the All-Star Friday night events.
What TV channel is the WNBA 3-Point Contest, Shooting Stars on?
ESPN will air the competitions.
Where to stream the WNBA 3-Point Contest, Shooting Stars live online
The action will also be available to stream on ESPN.com, Disney+ and the ESPN app.
Who’s in the 2026 WNBA 3-Point Contest?
There will be a first-time 3-Point Contest champion this year. Mabrey and Howard are the only players in the six-shooter field with any prior experience in the event, each participating once.
Here’s the full field, along with their 3-point stats this season:
- Bridget Carleton, Portland Fire (37.4% on 6.9 attempts per game)
- Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings (38.7% on 5.3 attempts per game)
- Natisha Hiedeman, Seattle Storm (34.3% on 5.8 attempts per game)
- Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream (35.4% on 8.9 attempts per game)
- Marina Mabrey, Toronto Tempo (39.2% on 8.4 attempts per game)
- Janelle Salaün, Golden State Valkyries (39.4% on 6.3 attempts per game)
All six participants rank in the top 10 in 3-pointers made this season. Mabrey is the league leader with 82 makes followed by Howard with 79.
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How does the WNBA 3-Point Contest work?
The 3-Point Contest is a two-round event where the players with the top scores in Round 1 advance to the final.
The competition features five-ball racks at five different locations around the 3-point arch. Four of the racks contain four WNBA game balls worth one point each, along with an oatmeal-colored money ball worth two points. One of the racks will have five money balls, and each participant gets to select the location of that money-ball rack.
Competitors will also get two “From the Logo” attempts worth three points apiece. The balls will be placed on pedestals from well beyond the arc.
The 3-Point Contest is a timed event, so players are not guaranteed an attempt at all 27 shots.
Who’s in the 2026 WNBA Shooting Stars?
Along with Shakira Austin, the other current players in the Shooting Stars field are Storm rookie Flau’jae Johnson, Wings first-time All-Star Jessica Shepard and Lynx third-time All-Star Courtney Williams.
Here are the legends they’re teaming up with:
- Team Dallas/Detroit: Jessica Shepard, Deanna Nolan
- Team Minnesota: Courtney Williams, Rebekkah Brunson
- Team Seattle: Flau’jae Johnson, Lauren Jackson
- Team Washington: Shakira Austin, Elena Delle Donne
Each team will also be assigned a high school player from Nike EYBL. Those standout prospects include Jezelle “GG” Banks, Ryan Carter, Tatianna Griffin and Morghan Reckley.
How does the WNBA Shooting Stars work?
The Shooting Stars is a two-round event where teams attempt to rack up as many points as possible in 70 seconds. The teams with the top two scores in the first round advance to the final.
The event will have seven shooting locations around the court, ranging from a layup to a deep 3-pointer. Participants will receive passes from WNBA legends Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon, both of whom are serving as general managers for Saturday’s All-Star Game.
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