Beyond the Arc (3/5): Sabrina Ionescu’s Starry Splash and How WNBA 3-Point Analytics Can Help You Prioritize your Studying

"Beyond the Arc" chronicles my recent trip to the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend (July 18-19) in Indianapolis. This five-part series blends the excitement of All-Star Weekend and the celebration of women’s basketball with practical bar exam tips, advice, and strategies. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it's that there are bar exam lessons everywhere. From fan experiences to game-day energy, each post offers quick takeaways to keep you motivated and focused on your bar prep journey.

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At the WNBA All-Star Weekend, I had the incredible experience of seeing New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu dominate the Starry 3-Point Contest by hitting 11 three-pointers in a row and scoring an incredible 30 points.

But as usual, while others were celebrating her win, I couldn’t help but think about … bar prep. (It’s who I am.)

The Rise of the 3-Point Shot in the WNBA

Sabrina’s win is no fluke. It reflects a broader shift in the WNBA. Just like the NBA, the WNBA has embraced the analytics movement. Teams are shooting more threes than ever before, spacing the floor, and optimizing shot selection to maximize points per possession.

Over the past several seasons, WNBA teams have increased three-point attempts across the board, and top teams like the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx have built championship-caliber offenses around it. Ionescu, in particular, has become the face of this evolution, making deep shots look easy, with quick releases and supreme confidence.

It’s the same evolution we saw in the NBA—and what I’ve previously written about in What Basketball Analytics Can Tell Us About Prioritizing Bar Exam Topics.

Basically: More threes = more points = more wins. Simple math.

Bar Prep Needs Its Own “Three-Point Revolution”

Just like players and coaches figured out that three-pointers were a smarter bet, you can (and should) approach your bar prep with the same efficiency mindset. Not all bar exam topics are created equal. Some topics are tested more frequently and, therefore, give you more chances to raise your overall score.

So, your version of the three-pointer? It should be high-frequency, high-value bar exam topics.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners publishes Subject Matter Outlines that includes breakdowns of how often topics appear on the MBE. Here’s your “bar exam shot chart”—the areas you should shoot from more often because they simply produce more points as a result of more questions in those areas:

Civil Procedure

• “Jurisdiction and venue,” “Pretrial procedures,” and “Motions” make up two-thirds of the Civil Procedure MBE questions.

Constitutional Law

• “Individual rights”—including Due Process, Equal Protection, and First Amendment freedoms—makes up 50% of the Constitutional Law MBE questions.

Contracts

• “Formation of contracts” and “Performance, breach, and discharge” make up 50% of the Contracts MBE questions.

Criminal Law and Procedure

• “Constitutional protection of accused persons” under the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments makes up 50% of the Criminal Law and Procedure MBE questions.

Evidence

• “Relevancy” and “Hearsay” make up 33% and 25% of the Evidence MBE questions, respectively.

Real Property

• Each of the five major topics are tested equally. This is one of the reasons why preparing for Real Property for the bar exam is so difficult. There is no one area of Real Property that is worth more than the others.

Torts

• As noted above, “Negligence” makes up 50% of the Torts MBE questions.

Focus your energy on the high-frequency topics. Mastering these is like becoming a knockdown three-point shooter. It raises your overall score faster, more reliably, and with less effort than spreading yourself too thin.

Sabrina didn’t win the 3-Point Contest by accident. She put in purposeful, efficient reps. She practices the right shots that translate to the most points. For bar prep, that means drilling practice questions in high-yield areas, reviewing key rules, and writing essays on the most-tested topics.

Oh ... I Won, Too

I also has the opportunity to channel my own inner sharpshooter the next day at WNBA Live, a fan-focused event filled with interactive games, exhibits, and appearances that celebrate the league and its players. I participated in a fan-themed 3-point contest—decked out in Starry's #TeamLem and #TeamLime colors—and won my contest! While Sabrina dominated the pros' contest on the big stage, I walked away a fan champion (and with a free t-shirt).