The three-point line was once a gimmick. Back in 1979, the NBA added it as a sort of "extra credit" experiment, and most coaches hated it. Fast forward to 1986, and the league decided to turn long-distance shooting into a weekend spectacle. Since then, the list of 3 point all star winners has become a definitive "Who's Who" of basketball's greatest marksmen. But if you look closely at the history, it’s not always about who has the best career percentage. It’s about who can handle the "rhythm" of the rack.
Larry Bird didn't even take off his warmup jacket for the first one. That’s the level of psychological warfare we’re talking about here. He walked into the locker room, looked at the other contestants—guys like Dale Ellis and Craig Hodges—and famously asked, "So, who’s finishing second?"
He wasn't joking. Bird won the first three years straight.
The Evolution of the 3 Point All Star Winners Circle
It’s weird to think about now, but in the late 80s, the contest was almost more prestigious than the Slam Dunk Contest. You had pure shooters who lived and died by the arc. Craig Hodges, a name many modern fans might not know, is actually tied with Bird for the most consecutive wins. He won in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Hodges was a specialist. He didn’t need to create his own shot off the dribble; he just needed a ball and a hoop.
Then the 2000s hit.
The game started to change. We saw bigger wings and even some "stretch" bigs getting into the mix. Dirk Nowitzki winning in 2006 was a massive shift. A seven-footer winning a shooting contest? It proved that the skill wasn't just for guards anymore. Dirk beat out Ray Allen and Gilbert Arenas that year, which sounds like a fever dream now.
Modern Snipers and the "Starry" Era
Today, the contest feels different. The introduction of the "Starry" range balls—those deep shots worth three points—has completely changed how players approach the rack. You can't just be a corner specialist anymore. You need range that extends to 30 feet.
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Steph Curry is obviously the gold standard. He’s won twice (2015 and 2021). Honestly, it feels like he should have won ten times, but the format is punishing. One bad rack and you're cooked. In 2021, Curry’s performance was legendary. He needed to hit his final "money ball" to beat Mike Conley Jr., and he did it with that effortless flick of the wrist. It was pure theater.
Damian Lillard is another name that has cemented himself among the elite 3 point all star winners. Winning back-to-back in 2023 and 2024 is a feat very few have accomplished. He’s got that "Dame Time" mentality where the pressure actually seems to make his form more consistent. Most players start to short-arm their shots when they get tired by the fourth or fifth rack. Not Lillard. He stays low, uses his legs, and follows through every single time.
Why Some Great Shooters Fail the Contest
You’d think a guy like Reggie Miller would have a shelf full of these trophies. Nope. Zero. Reggie never won it.
Why? Because the Three-Point Contest isn't actually about "shooting" in a basketball sense. It’s about mechanics and stamina. In a game, you have a defender, a screen, and a specific footwork pattern. In the contest, you’re pulling balls off a rack. It’s a repetitive, unnatural motion.
- Fatigue is real: By the time you get to the fifth rack in the corner, your shoulders are screaming.
- The Money Ball strategy: You have to decide where to put your "all-money-ball" rack. Most players pick their favorite spot, but if you're cold to start, it doesn't matter.
- The Clock: 70 seconds goes by fast. If you fumble one ball, your rhythm is toast.
Klay Thompson, who won in 2016, is a great example of a "rhythm" winner. When Klay gets into that headspace where he isn't thinking—just catching and releasing—he’s virtually impossible to beat. He beat his own teammate, Steph, in that 2016 final. It remains one of the highest-scoring rounds in the history of the event.
The Underdogs Who Shocked the World
Not every winner is a Hall of Famer. Sometimes, a journeyman or a role player just catches fire for ten minutes. Remember Jason Kapono? The guy was a back-to-back champion in 2007 and 2008. He wasn't an All-Star in the traditional sense, but for those two years, he was the best shooter on the planet. He still holds some of the highest percentage records for a single round.
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Then there’s Marco Belinelli in 2014. He had to go through a tiebreaker in the first round and eventually beat Bradley Beal. It was a masterclass in staying level-headed. He didn't have the "star power," but his footwork was perfect.
The Numbers and the Nitty Gritty
If we’re looking at the data, the winning scores have ballooned over the years. Part of that is the extra balls (the Starry balls), but part of it is just the sheer volume of threes these guys practice.
| Era | Notable Winner | Winning Trait |
|---|---|---|
| The Foundation (80s) | Larry Bird | Pure confidence and high release |
| The Specialist Era (90s) | Mark Price | Perfectionist mechanics |
| The Big Man Shift (00s) | Peja Stojakovic | Quick release for a tall wing |
| The Logo Range Era (20s) | Damian Lillard | Extreme distance and power |
Peja Stojakovic is a name that doesn't get enough credit. He won back-to-back in 2002 and 2003. He was part of that beautiful Sacramento Kings team that played "the right way." Peja’s shot was a thing of beauty—almost no dip, just straight up and through.
What it Takes to Win Today
To join the ranks of 3 point all star winners in 2026 and beyond, the recipe has changed. It's no longer enough to be a "set" shooter.
First, you need the "deep" ball. Since the introduction of the two pedestals located deep between the racks, you effectively have to be a threat from the logo. If you miss both of those three-point balls, you’re leaving six points on the table. That’s a death sentence.
Second, you need a short memory. If you clank the first three shots of a rack, you have to be able to "reset" your brain before you touch the fourth ball. We’ve seen guys like Devin Booker (2018 winner) do this brilliantly. He can miss, miss, miss, and then rattle off ten in a row.
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Finally, there’s the crowd. It’s loud. There are celebrities sitting three feet away from you. The pressure of being the "favorite" has crumbled many contestants. Buddy Hield, who won in 2020, talked about how he just tried to zone everything out and treat it like a gym session in the Bahamas. It worked. He beat Devin Booker by a single point on the final ball.
The Future of the Contest
There’s been talk about moving the line back even further or adding a "four-point" ball. Honestly? The current format is pretty great. It rewards the people who actually spend hours every day perfecting the most important shot in modern basketball.
Looking back at the history of the event, the winners are a mix of legends and specialists. From Jeff Hornacek to Paul Pierce, the list proves that shooting is the ultimate equalizer in the NBA. You don’t have to be the fastest or the highest jumper. You just have to be the most accurate.
Actionable Takeaways for Following the Next Contest
If you're watching the next All-Star weekend and want to predict the winner, don't just look at season shooting percentages.
- Check the "Release Time": Players with a two-motion shot (like a traditional jump shot) tend to tire out faster than players with a one-motion, fluid release (like Steph or Dame).
- Look at Corner Accuracy: The racks in the corners are often the "make or break" spots. A lot of modern players struggle with the lack of a backboard visual in the corners.
- Watch the Warmups: You can usually tell in the first 30 seconds of their warmup if a player has their "legs" under them. If they are hitting the front of the rim early, they won't have the stamina for the final round.
- The Money Ball Rack Placement: Pay attention to where players put their multi-colored rack. The smartest players put it where they have the highest "effective field goal percentage" from the season, usually the wings or the top of the key.
The list of 3 point all star winners will keep growing, but the core requirement stays the same: you have to be able to put the ball in the ocean, five times in a row, with the whole world watching.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to dive deeper into individual performances, go to the official NBA YouTube channel and search for "Jason Kapono 2008 Final Round." It is widely considered one of the most "perfect" shooting displays ever caught on film. After that, compare his mechanics to a modern winner like Damian Lillard to see how much the "starting point" of the shot has moved further away from the basket over twenty years.