The WNBA Skills Challenge 2023 was held on Friday, July 14, 2023, at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The event featured six teams of two players each, competing in a series of timed drills to test their ball-handling, passing, shooting, and finishing skills.
The teams were:
- Team Aces: Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray
- Team Dream: Arike Ogunbowale and Rhyne Howard
- Team Liberty: Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot
- Team Sun: DiJonai Carrington and Brionna Jones
- Team Storm: Jewell Loyd and Sami Whitcomb
- Team Wings: Kayla Thornton and Aaliyah Wilson
Who won the WNBA skills challenge 2023?
Team Aces won the event with a time of 1 minute, 20.3 seconds, followed by Team Liberty in second place (1:21.1 seconds) and Team Dream in third place (1:21.9 seconds).
Team Aces consisted of Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray, two of the best guards in the WNBA. Plum is a two-time All-Star who is known for her scoring ability, while Gray is a two-time All-Defensive First Team selection who is one of the best passers in the league.
They were the defending champions of the Skills Challenge, and they were looking to repeat as winners in their home state of Nevada.
They were impressive in all four drills, but they were particularly dominant in the shooting relay. They made all five of their shots from different spots on the court, which helped them to secure the victory.
What was the criteria for winning?
The team with the fastest combined time in all the below mentioned four drills wins the Skills Challenge.
The first drill was the ball-handling relay, in which each team had to dribble a ball through a series of cones and back to the starting point.
The second drill was the passing relay, in which each team had to pass a ball between two cones and back to the starting point.
The third drill was the shooting relay, in which each team had to make five shots from different spots on the court.
The fourth drill was the finishing relay, in which each team had to make two layups and a free throw.
Some other information about the WNBA skills Challenge
The event was hosted by ESPN’s Rachel Nichols.
The Skills Challenge was sponsored by Kia Motors. Kia Motors is a leading automaker that has been a sponsor of the WNBA for several years.
The winner of the Skills Challenge received a Kia Telluride SUV.
The Skills Challenge was streamed live on ESPN+.
Sabrina Ionescu
Sabrina Ionescu was a participant in the event. She teamed up with Courtney Vandersloot to represent the New York Liberty, and they finished in second place.
Ionescu was impressive in the event, and she showed off her skills in all four drills. She was particularly dominant in the ball-handling relay.
She finished second in the 2023 WNBA 3-Point Contest, setting a record with 37 points.
She is the first player in WNBA history to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists in their career.
She is a two-time All-Star and a two-time All-Rookie First Team selection.
Ionescu was the only player in the Skills Challenge who was able to complete the ball-handling relay in under 10 seconds. She did it in 9.8 seconds, which was a new record for the event.
Ionescu was also impressive in the passing relay. She was able to complete the relay in 6.2 seconds, which was the second-fastest time in the event.