When Larry Bird walked into the locker room before the first-ever shootout in 1986 and asked who was coming in second, he wasn't just being a jerk. He was setting the tone for what has become the most pure display of skill in basketball. People love the dunks, sure, but there’s something mesmerizing about a player getting into "the zone" where the rim looks ten feet wide.
Honestly, looking at the list of 3 point contest winners, you realize it’s not always about who the best overall player is. It’s about who can handle the rhythm of the rack.
The Guys Who Owned the Eighties and Nineties
Larry Bird didn't just win the first one; he won the first three. He’s one of only two players to ever "three-peat" in this event. It’s kinda wild to think that in the '88 contest, he didn't even take his warmup jacket off for the final round. He just walked out, drained the money ball, and walked off with his finger in the air before the shot even went through the net. Total boss move.
After Bird's reign, Craig Hodges took over the mantle. If you aren't a hardcore NBA history buff, you might've forgotten how lethal Hodges was from deep. He matched Bird’s three-in-a-row feat from 1990 to 1992. He also holds the record for most consecutive shots made in a round—nineteen. Nineteen! That’s basically a glitch in the Matrix.
Then you had Mark Price. The Cavs legend went back-to-back in '93 and '94. Price was one of the first guys to really show that a compact, lightning-quick release was the secret sauce for this specific format.
The Mid-Era Marksmen
There was a weird stretch where the winners were a mix of superstars and "wait, he won?" role players. Jeff Hornacek won it twice (1998 and 2000), which makes sense if you ever saw his shooting form. The 1999 contest never happened because of the lockout, which is why Hornacek's wins look like they have a gap.
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Peja Stojaković was the next big thing. In the early 2000s, those Kings teams were a blast to watch, and Peja was their flamethrower. He bagged trophies in 2002 and 2003.
Then came Jason Kapono.
Most people don't talk about Kapono much today, but he was a specialist in the truest sense. He won in 2007 with Miami and 2008 with Toronto. His 2008 performance was legendary because he put up 25 points back when the maximum possible score was only 30. That’s a 83.3% accuracy rate under a ticking clock.
Modern Era: The Splash Brothers and the "New" Records
When the NBA changed the rules to include the "Money Ball" rack (where a player can pick one station to be all two-point balls) and later the "Starry" deep shots, the scores started exploding.
Stephen Curry, obviously, has to be on this list. He won in 2015 and again in 2021. It feels like he should have won ten of them, but the contest is fickle. One cold rack and you're out. Curry’s 2021 win was a heartbreaker for Mike Conley, who put up a massive score only to see Steph drain the final money ball at the buzzer to win by one point.
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Recent Winners and the 2025 Shocker
The last few years have been dominated by big guards and even some "big" bigs.
- 2022: Karl-Anthony Towns (First center to ever win it, which was a huge deal).
- 2023: Damian Lillard (Representing Portland).
- 2024: Damian Lillard (Representing Milwaukee this time, joining the back-to-back club).
- 2025: Tyler Herro (The Miami Heat guard took the title in San Francisco).
Tyler Herro's win in 2025 was a bit of a nail-biter. He put up 24 in the final round, edging out Buddy Hield. Hield actually tied the all-time single-round record with 31 points in the first round of that same contest, but he couldn't close the door when it mattered most.
The Sabrina Factor
We can't talk about the list of 3 point contest winners without mentioning the 2024 crossover. Even though it was a special "challenge" and not the standard NBA contest, Sabrina Ionescu vs. Stephen Curry was the highlight of the weekend. Sabrina put up 26 points—which would have won many NBA contests—while shooting from the NBA line. Steph had to go supernova with 29 points to beat her. It changed the way people look at the event.
Every NBA 3-Point Contest Winner Since Inception
1986: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
1987: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
1988: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
1989: Dale Ellis, Seattle SuperSonics
1990: Craig Hodges, Chicago Bulls
1991: Craig Hodges, Chicago Bulls
1992: Craig Hodges, Chicago Bulls
1993: Mark Price, Cleveland Cavaliers
1994: Mark Price, Cleveland Cavaliers
1995: Glen Rice, Miami Heat
1996: Tim Legler, Washington Bullets
1997: Steve Kerr, Chicago Bulls
1998: Jeff Hornacek, Utah Jazz
1999: (No contest due to lockout)
2000: Jeff Hornacek, Utah Jazz
2001: Ray Allen, Milwaukee Bucks
2002: Peja Stojakovic, Sacramento Kings
2003: Peja Stojakovic, Sacramento Kings
2004: Voshon Lenard, Denver Nuggets
2005: Quentin Richardson, Phoenix Suns
2006: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
2007: Jason Kapono, Miami Heat
2008: Jason Kapono, Toronto Raptors
2009: Daequan Cook, Miami Heat
2010: Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
2011: James Jones, Miami Heat
2012: Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves
2013: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
2014: Marco Belinelli, San Antonio Spurs
2015: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
2016: Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
2017: Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets
2018: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
2019: Joe Harris, Brooklyn Nets
2020: Buddy Hield, Sacramento Kings
2021: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
2022: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
2023: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
2024: Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks
2025: Tyler Herro, Miami Heat
What It Actually Takes to Win
It’s not just about being a "good shooter." Being a good shooter means you can hit a wide-open three in transition. Being a 3-point contest winner means you have the muscle memory to grab a ball, set your feet, and release in under 1.2 seconds, over and over again, while your arms are getting heavy.
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The "Starry" balls (those deep shots from nearly 30 feet) have changed the math. Now, you can't just be a corner-specialist. You need range. That's why guys like Lillard and Curry thrive in the new format while traditional "set" shooters might struggle with the timing.
Surprising Facts Most Fans Miss
- The Michael Jordan Disaster: MJ actually competed in 1990. It went... poorly. He scored 5 points in a round, which is still the record for the lowest score in history. Even the GOAT had off days.
- The Youngest Winner: Kyrie Irving took the crown in 2013 when he was just 20 years old.
- The "Money Ball" Strategy: Most winners now place their all-money-ball rack in the corner. Statistically, it's the shortest distance and the easiest shot to repeat quickly.
If you're looking to understand the history of the game, this list is a great roadmap. It shows the evolution from the "slow" 80s where the three was a gimmick, to the modern era where it's the most important weapon on the floor.
To really appreciate these winners, keep an eye on the "release height" next time you watch a replay. Notice how Kapono or Curry barely jump. They use their legs for just enough power to keep the arc consistent without tiring themselves out. It's pure physics.
To get the most out of following these stats, you should track the "percentage of possible points" rather than the raw score, as the maximum score has changed from 30 to 34 and finally to 40 over the years. This gives you a much better idea of how a guy like Hodges compares to a guy like Lillard.