The WNBA All-Star 3-point contest now has its full field, with Bridget Carleton among the six confirmed participants set to compete in Chicago this weekend. The announcement closes the door on the uncertainty around who will take part and gives the event a clear, competitive shape heading into WNBA All-Star weekend.
That matters because the 3-point contest has become one of the most watched parts of All-Star weekend, and the list of names gives the event real credibility. Bridget Carleton is one of the players now locked in, alongside a group that includes proven shooters and big-name guards.
The confirmed six-player field
The confirmed participants are Sabrina Ionescu, Caitlin Clark, Kayla McBride, Azzi Fudd, Rhyne Howard, and Bridget Carleton. With six players in the field, the contest has the mix of established stars and rising names that usually makes this event compelling.
There was extra attention on the field because Sabrina Ionescu had been central to the wider conversation around the contest. She was the record-holder after scoring 37 points in 2023, and she later competed in the Kia WNBA Skills Challenge and WNBA STARRY 3-Point Contest at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 18, 2025.
Ionescu addresses the reports
This week, reports said Ionescu had opted out of the WNBA All-Star 3-point contest, but she pushed back strongly on that version of events. “I can't decline an offer I never got officially invited to. So was pretty surprised to see that. Never got invited,” she said.
She added that she wanted to correct the record, saying, “I just kind of wanted to set the record straight,” before explaining that the story was “just false.” Ionescu also said she was happy for the players in the field and pointed out that there would be a new winner this time.
Her comments added another layer to an event that is already drawing interest because of the names involved. She even hinted that a future return could still happen, saying, “Maybe I'll do it with Steph again at NBA All-Star and get a really nice official invite.”
McBride backs the shooters in the field
Kayla McBride also responded on social media after the reports circulated, urging people to focus on the actual contestants. “Posting things like I'm afraid of shooting smoke is weird and if you didn't hear it from me prob shouldn't believe it,” she wrote. She followed that by saying, “We should focus on the great shooters in it already!!! Because there's some killas in there.”
For Bridget Carleton, the confirmation is the key point. She is officially in the contest, the field is set, and the build-up can now focus on who handles the pressure best when the shots start falling in Chicago.
