WNBA 3-point leader Sabrina Ionescu fully backs push for 4-point Line

Sabrina Ionescu is one of the players who has helped usher in the 3-point era in the WNBA, setting the league on fire when she got drafted in 2020. Ionescu, who broke the record for 3-pointers made in a season, is enjoying her offseason, spending time in Manila, Philippines. She was surprised by a feature of the Philippine Basketball Association: a 4-point line.

Ionescu has become one of the faces of the WNBA and secured her first championship alongside Breanna Stewart with the New York Liberty last season. Her popularity extends outside of the WNBA world, as she represented the league during the NBA All-Star weekend in a 3-point shootout against Steph Curry in 2023.

Ionescu was intrigued by the PBA's inclusion of the 4-point line, which was introduced in 2024. When asked by reporters on Tuesday about what she thought about it, the Liberty guard said that she is all for it and the excitement that it would bring to the WNBA.

"I think we need to bring that to the WNBA. That’s exciting,” Ionescu said to reporters. “It’s an exciting part of the game. I think it changes the game, continuing to push people to want to be better, to shoot from there so that’s really exciting. I think that’s kind of the fun part of basketball, you can continue to improve and change it."

The NBA has experimented with a 4-point line in the annual All-Star Celebrity Game, and some players around the league have been supportive of its potential inclusion. Long-range shooting has become more popular thanks to Curry, with players in both leagues showcasing their range.

Along with Sabrina Ionescu, which WNBA players would most benefit from a 4-point line?

Sabrina Ionescu expressed her support for the WNBA's potential addition of a 4-point line, likely because she is one of the players who could take advantage of it. 3-point shooting has grown more popular in women's basketball and the number of players who could let it fly from 4-point range is growing, giving Ionescu a run for her money.

Along with Ionescu, players like Arike Ogunbowale and Caitlin Clark already attempt deep shots that would be considered in the 4-point range. In the PBA, the 4-point line is 27 feet from the basket, well within the range of the premier shooters of the WNBA. The inclusion of a deeper shot could bring more eyes to the WNBA, which continues to fight against the idea that the league is boring.

Clark, Ionescu and other young guards are on the frontline of the WNBA's efforts to make its game more entertaining, but players that could take the league to the next level are waiting. The college basketball world features players like Paige Bueckers and Juju Watkins, who could increase viewership ratings further and could let it fly from deep in the WNBA, with or without the 4-point line.