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WNBA Announces 2026 Chicago 3-Point Contest, Blocks Cunningham Gesture Licensing

7/22/2026

Summary

WNBA Hosts Contest

WNBA will hold the 2026 3-Point Contest at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on Friday.
Shooters—Rhyne Howard, Marina Mabrey, Azzi Fudd, Bridget Carleton, Natisha Hiedeman and Janelle Salaün—will compete.
Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu and Kayla McBride declined invitations, with Clark having missed 2024 contest with a groin injury and sitting out 2025.
ESPN will televise the State Farm-sponsored contest, which expands to six participants and adds “from the logo” three-point shots.

Summary

Cunningham Blocks Licensing

The WNBA Players Association invoked its policy to block league partners from licensing Sophie Cunningham’s pointing gesture, calling it “derogatory.”
The ban bars 2K, New Era, Lids, Panini, Aflac and JPMorgan Chase from using the image.
Players keep full NIL rights, so Cunningham can sell point merchandise without WNBA or union logos.
Cunningham already sells point shirts on Etsy, TeePublic and Shein.

History

Historical Context

The Supreme Court’s June 2021 decision in NCAA v. Alston rejected the NCAA’s amateurism defense, paving the way for the NBA’s 2020 CBA that gave players unrestricted NIL rights and generated more than $100 million in global endorsements by 2023. Citing that precedent, the WNBA Players Association in 2024 barred sponsors such as 2K Sports and JPMorgan from using Sophie Cunningham’s image.

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WNBA Hosts Contest

WNBA will hold the 2026 3-Point Contest at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on Friday.
Shooters—Rhyne Howard, Marina Mabrey, Azzi Fudd, Bridget Carleton, Natisha Hiedeman and Janelle Salaün—will compete.
Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu and Kayla McBride declined invitations, with Clark having missed 2024 contest with a groin injury and sitting out 2025.
ESPN will televise the State Farm-sponsored contest, which expands to six participants and adds “from the logo” three-point shots.

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