Caitlin Clark Skips NBA All-Star Weekend, Eyes WNBA 3-Point Contest

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — WNBA star Caitlin Clark will not participate in the NBA All-Star Weekend next month, her representatives at Excel Sports confirmed Wednesday. Instead, Clark plans to make her 3-point contest debut at the WNBA All-Star Game in July, which will be held in her home arena, Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Speculation had swirled about Clark’s potential involvement in the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, including a possible 3-point contest or a showdown with an NBA star. Last year, Golden State Warriors‘ Stephen Curry faced New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu in a mixed 3-point competition during the NBA All-Star Weekend. However, Clark has opted to focus on her WNBA commitments.

Clark, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, did not participate in last year’s WNBA 3-point challenge but played in the All-Star Game, which featured Team WNBA against Team USA ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend will take place July 18-19 in Indianapolis, while the NBA All-Star Weekend is scheduled for Feb. 14-16 at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, the NBA has announced its player pool for the Rising Stars event, headlined by San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama. The event will feature a four-team mini-tournament with NBA rookies, sophomores, and G League standouts, including Reed Sheppard of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, who is averaging 30.7 points per game this season.

Mac McClung, the reigning NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion, will return to defend his title and attempt to become the first player to win the event three times in a row. McClung, currently on a two-way contract with the Orlando Magic, has played only five NBA games in four years but has dominated the dunk contest in recent years.

As the NBA All-Star Weekend approaches, fans eagerly await further announcements about event participants and matchups. For now, Caitlin Clark’s focus remains on the WNBA, where she aims to make her mark in the league’s premier showcase this summer.