As I sit here scrolling through highlights of last night's NBA All-Star weekend, I can't help but marvel at how the three-point contest has evolved from what it once was. Having watched basketball religiously since the late 90s, I've witnessed this event transform from a niche sideshow into arguably the main attraction of All-Star Saturday Night. The contest has produced some truly unforgettable moments that live rent-free in my memory - who could forget Larry Bird's legendary "who's coming in second?" comment before dominating the competition?
Let me take you through this incredible journey of shooting excellence, starting from where it all began. The first NBA Three-Point Contest took place back in 1986 during the All-Star Weekend in Dallas, and it was Larry Bird who claimed that inaugural title in what would become his signature swan song moment. What many newer fans might not realize is that Bird actually won the first three contests from 1986 to 1988, establishing himself as the original three-point king before retiring. His confidence bordered on arrogance, but man, did he back it up every single time. The 90s brought us incredible shooters like Craig Hodges, who rattled off three straight wins from 1990 to 1992, and Mark Price, whose smooth shooting form remains textbook perfection in my opinion.
The turn of millennium introduced what I consider the modern era of three-point shooting. This was when specialists truly emerged, and the contest became less about surprise winners and more about established shooters proving their elite status. Peja Stojakovic's back-to-back wins in 2002 and 2003 showcased international shooting prowess, while Jason Kapono's unbelievable performance in 2008, where he scored 25 points in the final round, still stands as one of the most dominant displays I've ever witnessed. But the real game-changer came with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson - these guys didn't just participate in the contest; they transformed how teams viewed the three-point shot entirely. Curry's 2015 victory felt inevitable, like watching Picasso finally win an art competition.
Recent years have given us some fascinating developments that reflect how the game itself has evolved. The 2018 contest was particularly memorable because Devin Booker put up an incredible 28 points in the final round - at the time, I thought nobody would top that for years. Then along came Joe Harris in 2019, Stephen Curry's epic duel with his brother Seth in 2021, and Karl-Anthony Towns becoming the first center to win in 2022, which honestly broke my brain a little when it happened. The shooting we see today from big men would have been unthinkable twenty years ago.
Thinking about these champions reminds me of something Jun de Dios, the Philippines Business partner of Newgen, said after organizing their golf event: "We had a blast and we are looking to do it again next year--with more of the same faces and at a different course." That sentiment perfectly captures what makes the three-point contest so special year after year. We see familiar faces returning, the established stars who've proven themselves, while the "different course" aspect reflects how the competition itself evolves - new formats, deeper shooting ranges, and fresh challenges that keep even veteran participants on their toes.
The statistics behind these champions reveal some fascinating patterns that I've tracked over the years. Did you know that only seven players have won the contest multiple times? Craig Hodges and Larry Bird each have three titles, while five others have two wins apiece. The highest score ever recorded in any round remains 31 points, achieved by Tyrese Haliburton just last year - though personally, I think Curry's 2021 final round performance under pressure was more impressive despite being "only" 28 points. What's incredible is how the average winning score has climbed from around 16-18 points in the early years to consistently hitting 22-26 points in recent competitions. That's not just players getting better; it's the entire shooting philosophy of the league transforming before our eyes.
What often gets overlooked in discussions about three-point contest champions is the sheer amount of practice these guys put in. Having spoken with several NBA shooting coaches over the years, I've learned that contestants typically spend weeks specifically preparing for the contest's unique rhythm and rack system. They'll practice shooting off those specific racks, timing their movements between stations, and developing strategies for which rack to start with - most right-handed shooters prefer beginning on the left side so they can move toward their dominant hand, though I've always found it fascinating when players break from convention.
Looking ahead, I'm genuinely excited about where the three-point contest is heading. We're seeing younger players like Tyrese Haliburton and Desmond Bane bringing fresh energy to the competition, while veterans like Damian Lillard continue to prove that pure shooting transcends athletic prime. The contest has become such a perfect microcosm of the NBA's evolution - from Bird's psychological warfare to Curry's revolutionary range to Towns redefining positional expectations. Each champion represents not just individual excellence but a moment in basketball history, a snapshot of how the game was played and perceived during their era.
If I had to pick my personal favorite three-point contest moment, it would probably be Ray Allen's 2001 victory. His shooting form was so mechanically perfect it looked like something out of a basketball textbook, and his professionalism set the standard for how champions carry themselves. Though Curry's 2021 win runs a very close second - the raw emotion he showed after beating his own teammate Draymond Green's prediction that he'd lose to his brother was just priceless television. These human moments are what transform great shooters into legendary champions.
The three-point contest has given us thirty-eight different champions across its history, each leaving their unique mark on the competition. From the pioneering confidence of Larry Bird to the revolutionary impact of Stephen Curry to the boundary-breaking achievement of Karl-Anthony Towns, these champions haven't just won a trophy - they've shaped basketball's relationship with the three-point shot itself. As the game continues to evolve, I have no doubt we'll see even more incredible shooting displays that push the boundaries of what we think is possible. The contest remains one of my favorite annual traditions, precisely because it balances that perfect mix of familiar faces and fresh challenges that Jun de Dios described - and honestly, I can't wait to see who joins this prestigious list of champions next.
