NBA All-Star: Looking At The Last Five 3-Point Contest Champions

In regular seasons, the Fridays are made up of rookies and sophomores, always either representing their draft class or their country. On Saturdays, the NBA puts on a flurry of skills contests. One of these contests involves the 3-point contest.

The 3-Point Contest began in the 1986 season and was won by Larry Bird for its first three appearances in the NBA All-Star Weekend. Bird, along with Craig Hodges, are tied for both the most 3-point contest wins and most wins in a row (three for both).

Now, the NBA has yet to have a repeat winner since Jason Kapono in 2008, but many players will look to retain their title this season. Since the NBA All-Star Weekend lineup has yet to be fully made, here is a look at the last five three point contest winners and where they are now.

2016: Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors

Klay Thompson has not played an NBA game since the 2018-2019 season, but is still by far the most accomplished player on this list. The 3x Finals champion scored an NBA All-Star weekend high 27 out of 34 total points in the 2016, and his record has yet to be beaten.

He is tied with teammate Steph Curry for the record. Thompson and Curry are also the only teammates to both hoist the 3-point contest trophy. The 5x NBA All-Star hopes to return next season and will likely remain one of the great 3-point threats in the league’s history.

2017: Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets

Eric Gordon may be the worst 3-point shooter on this list as of today. Gordon shot 31% from deep last season and is shooting 35% from 3 so far this year; however, Gordon’s performance at the 2017 NBA All-Star weekend was not out of the ordinary at that time.

In 2017, Gordon hit 246 3-pointers, the most out of any bench player in league history. He went on to win the 6th man of the year award this season and was a finalist the season after. Gordon, alongside teammate PJ Tucker, are the only remaining players on the Houston Rockets team from the 2016-2017 season, as the team undergoes a rebuild.

2018: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

Devin Booker entered the league as a pure shooter but has turned himself into a premier scorer. Booker is averaging 24.3 ppg this season for the Phoenix Suns and became an NBA All-Star for the first time last year.

Now playing alongside Chris Paul, Booker and the Suns look to make the playoffs for the first time in his career. Booker looks to also make another appearance in the all-star game this season and hopefully another 3-point contest appearance as well.

2019: Joe Harris, Brooklyn Nets

Joe Harris is one of the premier 3-point specialists in the league, ranking 5th out of all players in terms of weighted volume and efficiency. Playing next to James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving this season, Harris has seen his shot attempts skyrocket as he is often found open from the 3-point line. Harris has the ability to become the first player in league history to average 15 ppg, 50% FG%, and 50% 3P%.

2020: Buddy Hield, Sacramento Kings

Buddy Hield’s 3-point contest last season was one to remember, as the contest was decided on the final shot; however, Hield is not having a season to remember this year, shooting a career low percentage from three (37%). Although he is struggling, he remains one of the best 3-point marksmen in the league in terms of both percentage and volume.

Thanks for reading! If you would like to talk more about the NBA, follow me on Twitter @FindingNeema23. You can also checkout overtimeheroics.net or @oth_basketball for more articles like this!

Main Image Credit: