NBA 3-Point Contest participants, history, champions

The NBA 3-Point Contest is the league’s premier exhibition of shooting skill. Here’s everything you need to know about its history and this year’s event.

The NBA 3-Point Contest might not be quite as exciting as the Slam Dunk Contest, but it’s still a must-watch event. This is the 37th iteration of the contest and this year’s contestants will have their work cut out for them, competing against each other and history on Saturday, Feb. 18.

2023 NBA 3-Point Contest competitors

Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers

Haliburton will join his teammate Hield, giving the Pacers two shots at winning the contest this year. The Pacers are one of 12 teams that have never had a player win the 3-Point Contest. Haliburton is currently shooting 39.9 percent from beyond the arc this season.

Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers

Hield is shooting 42.8 percent from 3-point range this season and has made the most 3-pointers across the entire season, with 222. He’s also a previous 3-point champion, having won the 2020 3-Point Contest as a member of the Sacramento Kings.

Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

Lillard is one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in NBA history, currently sixth in an all-time career makes. If he wins, he would become the sixth player in the top-15 in all-time 3-pointers, along with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki and Ray Allen, to win a 3-Point Contest. This will be his third time in the contest — he was a contestant in both 2014 and 2019. If

Andernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers

Simons, Lillard’s teammate, is shooting 38.1 percent from beyond the arc this season and will be in the contest for the first time. Like the Pacers, the Portland Trail Blazers have never had a player win the 3-Point Contest before. Simons also won the Slam Dunk Contest in 2021. If he were to win the 3-Point Contest, he would become the first player in NBA history to win both.

Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz

Markkanen will also be making his first appearance in the 3-Point Contest. He is shooting 41.6 percent from beyond the arc and averaging more than three made 3s per game this season. If he wins, he would be just the third member of the Jazz (Jeff Hornacek won twice) and the third 7-footer (Karl-Anthony Towns, Dirk Nowitzki) to triumph.

*Three more contestants have yet to be announced for the eight-player field*

NBA 3-Point Contest past winners

• 1986 — Larry Bird
• 1987 — Larry BIrd
• 1988 — Larry Bird
• 1989 — Dale Ellis
• 1990 — Craig Hodges
• 1991 — Craig Hodges
• 1992 — Craig Hodges
• 1993 — Mark Price
• 1994 — Mark Price
• 1995 — Glen Rice
• 1996 — Tim Legler
• 1997 — Steve Kerr
• 1998 — Jeff Hornacek
• 1999 — Canceled due to lockout
• 2000 — Jeff Hornacek
• 2001 — Ray Allen
• 2002 — Peja Stojakovic
• 2003 — Peja Stojakovic
• 2004 — Voshon Lenard
• 2005 — Quentin Richardson
• 2006 — Dirk Nowitzki
• 2007 — Jason Kapono
• 2008 — Jason Kapono
• 2009 — Daequan Cook
• 2010 — Paul Pierce
• 2011 — James Jones
• 2012 — Kevin Love
• 2013 — Kyrie Irving
• 2014 — Marco Belinelli
• 2015 — Steph Curry
• 2016 — Klay Thompson
• 2017 — Eric Gordon
• 2018 — Devin Booker
• 2019 — Joe Harris
• 2020 — Buddy Hield
• 2021 — Steph Curry
• 2022 — Karl Anthony Towns

NBA 3-Point Contest history

Most shots made in a round: This record belongs to Craig Hodges, the three-time champion, who made 21 in a round of 25 in both 1986 and 1991. Five other players have managed 20 makes in a round — Mark Price, Jason Kapono, Kyrie Irving, Steph Curry and Devin Booker.

Most consecutive shots made: This one also belongs to Hodges, who made 19 in a row in the 1991 contest. Steph Curry and Joe Harris are the only other players to ever make 12 or more in a row.

Most points in the final round: This mark belongs to Karl-Anthony Towns who scored 29 of a possible 40 points (which includes money balls) in 2022 to win the title.

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