Allisha Gray excited about historic WNBA 3-point contest, Skills Challenge win

Atlanta Dream player Allisha Gray became the first WNBA player to win the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest in one year on Friday in Phoenix.

Gray first won the Skills Challenge by beating Phoenix Mercury wing Sophia Cunningham in the final of the five-player competition. She clocked a time of 32.1 seconds, good enough to better Cunningham’s time of 34.5 seconds.

Gray also had the best time in the first lap.

Gray then held off a stunning charge from New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones to beat her challenger 22-21 in the final 3-point contest.

Jones was down to one moneyball in the final round, trailing 22-21. A throw would have given her the win at 23-22, but the shot hit the side of the rim, allowing Gray to sweep.

Gray scored 23 in the first round to advance to the five-man first round final, while Jones dropped 25 to take the lead.

Gray became just the third player in WNBA history to win both games. San Antonio Silver Stars guard (and now Las Vegas Aces head coach) Becky Hammon was the first (2007 3-Point, 2009 Skills), and Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu was the second (2022 Skills, 2023 3-Point).

But now Gray has done it all in one year. And she won a $110,000 bonus ($55,000 each for winning each game) courtesy of Aflac. Add to that her additional $5,150 in prize money from the WNBA for the wins, and Gray has earned herself a big night.

The seven-year veteran, who joined the WNBA in 2017 after a stellar college career at South Carolina, is averaging 15.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists this year and is firmly in her prime, having reached her second straight All-Star Game this season.

And now she’s getting a lot of praise for her fantastic efforts, including from her former college head coach, Dawn Staley, and her former college teammate, A’ja Wilson.

Gray will now represent the WNBA All-Stars when they take on the U.S. Women’s National Team on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.