This evening, Cleveland’s Mortgage FieldHouse plays host to the 36th edition of the 3-Point Contest, which has been an integral part of the All-Star Weekend since the NBA introduced the event back in 1986. It has been on an annual basis ever since with the exception of 1999 – the year the All-Star Game was cancelled due to the NBA Lockout 1998-99.
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The 3-Point Contest is traditionally held on the Saturday before the annual All-Star Game, although at last year’s, held in Atlanta, all of the events were crammed into one night due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Sunday’s All-Star Game will be the headline event but before that, a number of contests have been programmed on the eve of the game – the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest followed by the Slam Dunk Contest.
NBA All-Star: who has won the most 3-Point Contests?
Over its 36-year history, only seven players have managed to win the 3-Point Contest on more than one occasion.
Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird won the inaugural edition in 1986, as well as the two following editions in 1987 and 1988. Bird’s three consecutive 3-Point Contest victories puts him top of the leader board, where he is joined by Craig Hodges. The former Chicago Bulls shooting guard also won the contest on three consecutive occasions in 1990, 1991 and 1992. Hodges also holds the 3-Point Contest records for most shots made in one round (21/25), set in 1986, and most consecutive shots made (19), set in 1991.
Behind Bird and Hodges, five players have won the contest on two occasions, with each two-time winner having won their titles in consecutive years: Mark Price of the Cleveland Cavaliers (1993, 1994); Jeff Hornacek of the Utah Jazz (1998, 2000); Peja Stojakovic of the Sacramento Kings (2002, 2003); Jason Kapono of the Toronto Raptors (2007, 2008). Stephen Curry joined the elite list after winning last year’s contest, edging out Utah Jazz’s Mike Conley. Curry racked up a massive 31 points in the first round, before hitting his final shot to get to 28, one more than Conley.
Kapono remains the last person to win back-to-back contests.
