Larry Bird walked into the locker room in 1986, looked at the other shooters, and basically asked who was coming in second. He wasn't joking. He won the first three years of the event, and he did it with a level of swagger that we just don't see anymore. Most people think the three-point revolution started with Steph Curry, but if you look at the NBA 3 point contest winners over the decades, the obsession with the long ball has deep, gritty roots.
It's not just a shooting gallery. It’s a mental grind. You have 70 seconds to sprint around a perimeter, grab balls off a rack, and find a rhythm while thousands of people are screaming. Honestly, it’s a wonder anyone hits more than half.
The exclusive club of three-time winners
Only two men have ever won the contest three times. Think about that. In forty years of All-Star weekends, only two guys have managed a "three-peat." Larry Bird did it from 1986 to 1988. Then Craig Hodges, a name some younger fans might not know, dominated from 1990 to 1992 while playing for those legendary Bulls teams.
Hodges was a different breed. In 1991, he hit 19 consecutive shots. Nineteen! You can’t even do that in an empty gym most days. He also holds the record for most shots made in a single round—21 out of 25. People talk about Steph being the "GOAT" of shooting, and he is, but Hodges’ numbers in this specific format are arguably more impressive.
Why Damian Lillard almost joined them
Damian Lillard came incredibly close to joining that "Three-Win Club" recently. He won back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. Entering the 2025 contest, everyone expected him to tie Bird and Hodges. But Tyler Herro of the Miami Heat had other plans. Herro took the 2025 crown in San Francisco, keeping the three-win club a very lonely place for now.
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Changing rules and the "Starry" range
The contest you see today isn't the one your dad watched. Back in the day, a perfect score was 30. You had five racks, five balls each, and the last ball was a "money ball" worth two points. Simple.
Then the NBA started tinkering.
Now we have the "money ball rack." Players get to pick one spot on the floor where all five balls are worth two points. Usually, they pick their favorite corner or the top of the key. Then came the "Starry Range"—two deep-shot pedestals placed way back, worth three points each. Because of these changes, the max score jumped to 40.
It makes comparing modern NBA 3 point contest winners to the legends kinda difficult. When Karl-Anthony Towns scored 29 points in 2022, it was a record, but he had more high-value balls available than Mark Price did in the 90s.
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Big men can actually shoot
For a long time, this was a "small man's game." You had guys like Mark Price, Jeff Hornacek, and Steve Kerr winning. But the "Unicorn" era changed everything.
- Dirk Nowitzki (2006): The first 7-footer to prove that height doesn't mean you lack touch.
- Kevin Love (2012): Shocked the field by beating Kevin Durant in a tiebreaker.
- Karl-Anthony Towns (2022): Proved he’s the "best shooting big man ever" by dropping a then-record 29 points in the finals.
It's not a fluke anymore. Bigs are expected to trail on the break and hit the "trailer" three, and the contest reflects that shift in the league's DNA.
The outliers and the heartbreaks
You've got guys like Jason Kapono who were absolute specialists. Kapono won back-to-back in 2007 and 2008. He wasn't a superstar, but in this specific format, he was a god. He still shares the record for most shots made in a round (21) with Craig Hodges.
Then there’s the Michael Jordan anomaly. Most people forget MJ actually competed in the 1990 contest. It was a disaster. He scored 5 points. To this day, it's the lowest score in the history of the event. It just goes to show that being the greatest player on earth doesn't mean you can master the rack-and-fire rhythm of the shootout.
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Most wins by franchise
The Miami Heat have actually become a powerhouse in this event. After Tyler Herro’s win in 2025, the Heat have five total trophies.
- Glen Rice (1995)
- Jason Kapono (2007)
- Daequan Cook (2009)
- James Jones (2011)
- Tyler Herro (2025)
The Celtics and Bulls are right behind them with four wins each. It’s funny how certain teams just seem to recruit for this specific skill set.
What actually happens during the 70 seconds
Shooters will tell you the first rack is the hardest. You’re cold. The nerves are peaking. If you miss the first three, your head starts spinning. You have to move. You can't linger.
There's a specific "pickup" technique where players grab the ball with their guide hand already positioned. If you have to fumble with the laces, you're done. You’ll leave the last rack untouched as the buzzer sounds.
Actionable insights for fans and bettors
If you're watching the next All-Star weekend or looking at the history of NBA 3 point contest winners, keep these reality checks in mind:
- Fatigue is real: The final round happens shortly after the first. Players who exert too much energy "proving a point" in round one often "legs out" in the finals.
- Money ball placement matters: Watch where they put that all-money-ball rack. If a player puts it in their statistically weakest spot to "get it over with," they usually lose.
- The "Starry" factor: Those two 3-point shots from 30 feet out are the ultimate swing. A player can be mediocre on the racks but win the whole thing just by hitting both deep balls.
- Experience counts: First-timers almost always struggle with the pace. Look for guys in their second or third appearance—that's when the "game slows down" for them.
The contest is a weird, high-pressure microcosm of the modern NBA. It’s about more than just shooting; it’s about who can stay calm when the clock is ticking and the racks are emptying. Whether it’s a legend like Bird or a specialist like Kapono, the winners are the ones who don't let the 70-second sprint break their mechanics.