Clark, Ionescu Skip 2026 WNBA 3-Point Contest as Prize Money Jumps to $20,000

Q: Is Azzi Fudd the headliner, or are league-leaders Marina Mabrey and Rhyne Howard the real favorites?

Azzi Fudd is the headliner, but Marina Mabrey and Rhyne Howard look like the stronger favorites to win. Fudd has the marquee billing because she is the No. 1 pick, a high-profile rookie, and the only newcomer with a chance to make history as the first rookie to win the WNBA 3-point contest. She also brings real shooting credibility: she is hitting about 37% from three on high volume, has become a full-time starter in Dallas, and has already produced multiple 20-point games. In an All-Star setting, that combination of star power and upside makes her the promotional centerpiece. But if the question is who should be favored on form, the edge goes to Mabrey, with Howard close behind. Mabrey leads the league with 82 made threes, averages 3.3 makes per game, and has twice tied the WNBA single-game record with nine threes. She has also posted a 53-point game and is shooting over 40% from deep, making her the most compelling statistical favorite in the field. Howard is nearly as strong a case. She ranks second in the league with 79 made threes and averages 3.2 per game, giving her the same kind of volume profile that often translates well to a timed contest. So the split is fairly clear: Fudd is the event’s biggest draw, while Mabrey — and then Howard — are the most evidence-based picks to take the crown.

Q: Can a 3-point crown help Azzi Fudd escape the shadow of dominant ROY frontrunner Olivia Miles?

Probably not by itself. A WNBA 3-point title would help Azzi Fudd’s profile, but it would not materially change the Rookie of the Year race unless it is followed by a much stronger second half. Olivia Miles has built a far broader case: 19.4 points, 5.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game, plus a 15-4 team record for Minnesota and emerging MVP-dark-horse buzz. That is why betting markets have Miles as an overwhelming ROY favorite. For Fudd, the contest matters more as a narrative boost than an awards pivot. She is averaging 13.3 points and 1.7 steals, has shot 37% from three on volume, and has shown real growth after beginning the season on the bench. Winning in Chicago would reinforce what scouts already believed — that she is one of the league’s purest shooters — and becoming the first rookie to win the event would give her a signature All-Star Weekend moment. But the 3-point contest is still an exhibition skill event, not a regular-season data point. Voters will care far more about whether Fudd can turn flashes into sustained production, close the scoring gap, and drive more winning for Dallas. It also matters that she would be beating a field led by elite shooters such as Marina Mabrey and Rhyne Howard, which would be impressive, but separate from Miles’ all-around impact. So a crown could help Fudd step out of Miles’ shadow culturally and commercially for a weekend. Escaping it in the ROY race will require more than one hot night.

3 articles · Updated · Front Office Sports · Jul 21

Six players were announced for the 2026 WNBA 3-Point Contest, with Caitlin Clark and defending champion Sabrina Ionescu absent after invited players declined for various reasons.
Ionescu's omission follows an injury-hit start to the 2026 season and her first missed All-Star selection since 2021; Clark still has never competed after withdrawing injured from the 2025 event.
Azzi Fudd, the 2026 No. 1 pick, joins All-Stars Marina Mabrey and Rhyne Howard in a field completed by Bridget Carleton, Natisha Hiedeman and Janelle Salaün.
The winner will earn $20,000 and each participant $10,000 under the new CBA, up from $2,575 and $1,030 last year, though no extra corporate bonus has been announced.