Caitlin Clark declines WNBA 3-Point Contest invitation, dealing major blow to All-Star Weekend and ESPN - Fox News

Caitlin Clark declined an invitation to participate in the WNBA's 3-Point Contest during All-Star Weekend, according to ESPN, marking a significant setback for the league and broadcaster.
Fellow stars Sabrina Ionescu and Kayla McBride also turned down invitations, while Paige Bueckers, Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham are absent from the announced field revealed Tuesday.
The article notes the league had built the shooting event around Clark by adding "From the Logo" shots, and State Farm developed a marketing campaign centered on her long-distance three-pointers.
Clark's participation was seen as a near-guarantee of drawing at least a million viewers for ESPN, making her absence particularly costly for the network.
Fever teammates Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham were also left out; Mitchell placed third among guards in fan voting with 665,377 votes and is shooting 42% from three, while Cunningham finished 15th overall with 386,451 votes and is shooting 44% from deep.
Cunningham's large social media following, with over 3.2 million TikTok followers and 2.6 million on Instagram, underscores her popularity, adding to concerns about the contest's diminished star power.