Who Are the NBA 3-Point Contest Participants This Season?
I still remember watching my first NBA All-Star Weekend back in the late 90s, sitting cross-legged on the floor of my grandparents' living room with my eyes glued to the television. The three-point contest particularly fascinated me - there was something mesmerizing about watching these incredible athletes transform into pure shooters, standing alone at the arc with the entire arena holding its breath. This year's participants represent both the evolution and tradition of long-range shooting in the league, and I can't help but draw parallels to another iconic moment in sports history that happened exactly fifty years ago - the legendary "Thrilla in Manila" boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
When I look at this season's three-point contest lineup, what strikes me most is how it mirrors the dramatic narratives we see in historic sporting events like the Thrilla in Manila. That fight wasn't just about two men throwing punches - it was about legacy, rivalry, and the sheer will to push through unimaginable exhaustion. Similarly, this year's three-point competition features its own compelling storylines that go beyond mere shooting percentages. We have Stephen Curry returning to defend his title, much like Ali defending his reputation in that Manila ring. We have young upstarts like Tyrese Haliburton looking to make their mark, reminiscent of Frazier's relentless pursuit of recognition. And we have veterans like Damian Lillard who understand that these moments define careers, not just seasons.
The official participants include some expected names and a few surprises that made me raise an eyebrow when the list was announced. Stephen Curry needs no introduction - the man has revolutionized three-point shooting and holds the career record with over 3,500 regular season threes. Damian Lillard brings that killer mentality from Portland, having made 2,387 threes throughout his career with that deep range that still astonishes me every time I watch him pull up from the logo. Then there's Jayson Tatum from Boston, who's improved his three-point percentage to around 36% this season while taking nearly nine attempts per game - numbers that don't fully capture his clutch shooting ability when the game is on the line.
What fascinates me about this particular group is how it represents different eras of three-point shooting coexisting in one competition. Curry embodies the modern era where volume and difficulty have become normalized. Lillard represents that bridge between traditional spot-up shooters and today's movement specialists. Then we have players like Lauri Markkanen from Utah - a seven-footer shooting over 40% from deep this season, which still feels surreal to me even after watching basketball for decades. The evolution reminds me of how boxing evolved after the Thrilla in Manila - techniques changed, training methods advanced, but the core of what makes a champion remained the same.
I've always believed that three-point contests reveal something fundamental about a player's mental fortitude, much like how that legendary boxing match exposed the fighters' souls. When Ali later recounted those brutal rounds in Manila, he spoke about reaching places in his mind he never knew existed. Similarly, watching these shooters navigate the racks during the competition's final minutes, with fatigue setting in and pressure mounting, shows us who they really are beneath the jersey. Personally, I find this psychological dimension more compelling than the raw statistics, though the numbers do tell an interesting story - this year's participants collectively average about 39% from beyond the arc during the regular season.
Having attended three of these contests in person throughout my career as a basketball analyst, I can confirm that television doesn't fully capture the tension in the building. The silence during each shot is almost palpable, followed by either explosive cheers or collective groans. It's theater as much as sport, and this year's lineup promises particularly dramatic storytelling. My personal favorite to win? I'm leaning toward Curry, not just because of his track record but because I've noticed subtle adjustments in his release this season that make his shot even more efficient under pressure. Though I must admit, part of me would love to see an underdog like Haliburton shock the world - there's something magical about witnessing a newcomer claim the throne.
The connection to the Thrilla in Manila goes deeper than mere competition narrative. That fight taught us about endurance, about pushing beyond physical limits, about what happens when two forces of nature collide. Fifty years later, we're still talking about it because it represented something timeless about sports. Similarly, I suspect we'll remember this three-point contest years from now, not just for who won or lost, but for what it represents in basketball's ongoing evolution. The three-point line has become this generation's equivalent of the boxing ring - a defined space where legends are made and dreams are shattered in equal measure.
As I look forward to this year's event, I can't help but feel we're witnessing another chapter in basketball history unfolding. The participants represent the past, present, and future of shooting, each bringing their unique journey to that arc. Much like how the central figures of the Thrilla in Manila remain with us through stories and memories, these shooters are creating moments that will be recounted for years to come. Whether you're a statistics-driven analyst or a casual fan drawn to human drama, this year's three-point contest offers something special - a celebration of skill, nerve, and the beautiful unpredictability of sports.
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We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
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