The NBA recently released the lineup for the 2024 3-Point Contest, and fans are now eagerly awaiting All-Star Weekend. Led by returning champion Damian Lillard, the 3-Point contest has always been a fan favorite and that trend is set to continue this season.
Joining Dame is Bucks teammate Malik Beasley, New York’s Jalen Brunson, Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, Utah’s Lauri Markkanen, Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, Atlanta’s Trae Young, and Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns. The eight-player field is filled with knockdown shooters who are ready to put on a show on Feb. 17 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Lillard, gifted with infinite range, is no stranger to the limelight. He won the contest last year thanks to sinking the “Starry” balls — set 30-feet away from the basket — which are worth three points. When Lillard starts catching fire, there’s not too many players in league history that can match his excellence from well beyond the arc. If Lillard manages to snag the win again, he’ll make history as the first back-to-back winner in over 15 years.
His Milwaukee teammate, Malik Beasley, is enjoying a career year from three, shooting 43.7-percent for the Bucks. He’s a streaky shooter with a quick release — a perfect match for this sort of competition.
New York’s Brunson has quickly become a fan favorite with the Knicks, and has had no trouble filling it up from every level this season. Brunson has a chance to become the first lefty to win the competition.
Tyrese Haliburton will have his home crowd cheering him on with his patented sidewinder shot. While unorthodox, Haliburton’s odd shooting form has not hampered his ability to fill it up from beyond the three-point line. He’s a career 40-percent three-point shooter on 6.1 attempts per game.
Ever since he joined the Jazz two seasons ago, Lauri Markkanen has developed into an all-around offensive star. Still, his silky jump shot is what keeps defenders honest. Listed at 7-foot, Markkanen has a high release and effortlessly flicks the ball towards the basket. He’s currently ranked 14th in three-pointers made this year (140), and on-pace to shatter his previous career high (200).
There aren’t too many players playing better than Donovan Mitchell is right now. The Cavalier All-Star has been among the league’s most lethal shooters from the moment he stepped foot on an NBA floor. Mitchell ranks 5th all-time in threes made per game at 2.9.
Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns is a former winner of this competition, and one of the best shooting big men in league history. The 7-footer had a game last month in which he poured in 62 points — including 10 three-point makes.
A late inclusion to the All-Star festivities, Trae Young returns for his third chance at winning the 3-Point Contest. He came in second to Towns two seasons ago, but was impressive in defeat. One thing is for certain: Young will have no issue knocking down the “Starry” balls as he’s routinely hoisted up shots from that range throughout his career.
In addition to the regular contest, All-Star Weekend will also hold a special event featuring the greatest shooter of all-time, Stephen Curry, going up against one of the great 3-Point contestants ever, the WNBA’s Sabrina Ionescu. The two are set to clash to see who will reign supreme. Curry, the NBA’s all-time leader in three-point makes, has won the contest twice before (2015, 2021). Ionescu won the 2023 WNBA Three-Point Shootout after posting the single best round, by any player, in contest history when she made a staggering 25 of 27 possible shots. This matchup will surely be one to watch.
All-Star Weekend is a great time for fans to enjoy themselves and watch some of the best players in the league showcase their skills. This year’s NBA 3-Point Contest field is sure to be a crowd pleaser, and any of the eight participants have a chance at taking home the win.
