Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray became the first WNBA player to complete an All-Star Sweep! Friday night in Phoenix, Gray competed in both the skills challenge and the 3-point contest and came out on top in both competitions. However, she'll have to carry both trophies in one hand because she'll be carrying a bag of money in the other. Gray received a total of $115,150 in prize money.
Since the event was held in Phoenix, most cheers in the stands were for hometown Mercury players Sophie Cunningham and Brittney Griner, but that didn't stop Gray from outlasting both. In the skills competition, players must complete three bounce passes and one chest pass into a net, shoot a three from the top of the key, shoot a shot from the elbow, and then shoot another three from the corner while guarded by a windmill. After that, they must complete another chest pass with a layup. Whoever completes this contest the fastest wins. In the final round, Gray beat Cunningham by only 2.4 seconds, finishing with a time of 32.1 seconds.
After breaking the hearts of Phoenix fans in the skills competition, it was time for Gray to compete in the three-point contest. New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones stood across from Gray in the finals. Gray shot first, putting up 22 points, and then she got to sit on the edge of her seat and hold her breath as Jones went on a shooting streak that would end on the final shot. Jones cashed her second to last shot to give her 21 points and held the game-winning money ball in her hands. It was like a movie scene as Jones released her final shot, everyone in the stands watching it travel closer and closer to the rim, and Gray sighed as the ball hit the side of the rim, giving her the win 22-21.
After the event, Gray said, "I was a little fatigued a little bit from the skills challenge, but I was there to lock in..." Many fans were upset star rookie Caitlin Clark and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, who are two of the best shooters in the WNBA, opted out of the event. Regardless, Gray, Jones, and the other competitors put on a show to make up for it.
Gray is the first player to win both competitions on the same night, but she's the third to win both in her career. The other two players are now Las Vegas Aces Head Coach Becky Hammon and Sabrina Ionescu.
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