Kayla McBride says the story behind her absence from the WNBA’s 3-point contest is more complicated than it first appeared.
The Minnesota Lynx star posted on her Instagram Story Wednesday that she received what she described as a “half a-- invite” through her agent in a text “randomly 48 hours ago” and that it was not official. McBride’s comments came after some confusion over why one of the league’s top shooters would not be in the event Friday night at 8 p.m. ET.
“Also, for those that are SO concerned. I received a half a-- invite to the 3 pt contest, thru my agent, in a text randomly 48 hours ago..not officially,” McBride wrote. She added that posting she was afraid of shooting smoke was “weird” and said, “if you didn’t hear it from me prob shouldn’t believe it.”
McBride also pushed back on the conversation around the event, writing, “We should focus on the great shooters in it already!!! because there’s some killas in there. good luck to all those participating and when y'all start doing shooting contests coming off pin downs hit me.”
What the invite dispute means
The issue appears to be less about McBride declining a formal invitation and more about how the invitation was communicated. McBride said she never got an official invite, while Sabrina Ionescu also said she “never officially got invited.” That points to a communication problem around the process rather than a straightforward snub.
The timing also stands out because McBride is in the middle of a career year through 28 games with the Minnesota Lynx. Her scoring average of 18.2 points per game matches the best mark of her career, which she set in 2018. That production would normally make her one of the natural names for a league shooting showcase.
Instead, the WNBA’s 3-point contest will go forward without McBride, Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark. The field still includes several notable shooters, with Bridget Carleton, Azzi Fudd, Natisha Hiedeman, Rhyne Howard, Marina Mabrey and Janelle Salaün among those slated to compete. Ionescu is the reigning champion and has won two of the three 3-point contests.
McBride’s comments do not change the event itself, but they do clarify how she views the situation: not as a formal invitation turned down, but as an unofficial contact made too late to become something more. For a player in the middle of a strong season, that distinction matters.
