The NBA’s annual 3-Point Contest is always a highlight of All-Star Weekend, and this year’s event - tipping off Saturday at 5 p.m. ET from the brand-new Intuit Dome in Los Angeles - brings a fascinating mix of youth, experience, and redemption stories to the arc.
Headlining the field is Kon Knueppel, the rookie sharpshooter out of Charlotte who’s already making waves in his first NBA season. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 Draft enters the contest as the odds-on favorite at +240, and for good reason.
He’s not just hitting threes - he’s doing it with confidence, rhythm, and volume, quickly establishing himself as one of the league’s most reliable perimeter threats. For a first-year player to be leading the odds in a contest filled with established stars?
That tells you everything about how quickly Knueppel has earned respect around the league.
But if Knueppel represents the league’s future, Damian Lillard is still very much a reminder of its past - and potentially, its present. The 35-year-old vet, now back in Portland after a tough two-year stint in Milwaukee, is aiming for his third 3-Point Contest title.
He’s already won it back-to-back in 2023 and 2024, joining an elite group of players with multiple victories. Only Larry Bird and Craig Hodges have ever won it three times, and Dame’s looking to join that exclusive club.
What makes Lillard’s presence even more compelling is the context. He hasn’t played a minute this season, still rehabbing from the Achilles tear he suffered in Game 4 of the Bucks’ first-round series against Indiana.
That injury not only ended Milwaukee’s playoff hopes but also marked the end of Lillard’s time there. The Bucks waived him in July, and Portland welcomed him back on a three-year, $42 million deal - a homecoming that fans in Rip City never stopped dreaming about.
Now, even without game reps this season, Lillard’s stepping back into the spotlight in a contest built for shooters like him - rhythm-based, no defenders, just pure stroke and repetition. And if there’s one thing Dame’s never lacked, it’s confidence under pressure.
The field around him is no slouch, either. Tyler Herro, last year’s winner, won’t defend his crown due to a rib injury that’s kept him sidelined since mid-January, but the rest of the lineup is loaded with talent and intrigue:
2026 NBA 3-Point Contest Participants and Odds (via DraftKings):
- Kon Knueppel (Hornets): +240
- Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers): +400
- Jamal Murray (Nuggets): +650
- Devin Booker (Suns): +650
- Tyrese Maxey (76ers): +700
- Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers): +750
- Norman Powell (Heat): +1000
- Bobby Portis (Bucks): +1200
There’s no shortage of firepower here. Mitchell, Knueppel, Maxey, and Murray all rank in the top 10 in total 3-pointers made this season - a testament to both volume and consistency. Maxey’s emergence as a go-to scorer in Philly has come with a major uptick in his outside shooting, while Murray continues to be one of the steadiest shot-makers in Denver’s offense.
Booker is the wild card. He’s a former winner (2018) and one of the smoothest shooters in the league when he’s locked in, but this season’s been a struggle from deep - he’s shooting a career-low 31.1% from three.
That said, the 3-Point Contest has a way of leveling the playing field. It’s about rhythm and muscle memory, and if Booker finds his groove, he’s got the pedigree to go the distance.
Then there’s Norman Powell and Bobby Portis, two guys who might not be household names in this kind of event but bring their own unique flair. Powell’s been a reliable scorer for the Heat, and Portis - more known for his energy and rebounding - is the longshot at +1200, but don’t count him out. Every year, someone surprises.
With a mix of rising stars, proven vets, and comeback stories, this year’s 3-Point Contest has all the makings of a classic. Whether it’s Knueppel announcing his arrival, Lillard chasing history, or someone else stealing the spotlight, one thing’s for sure - the nets at Intuit Dome are about to get a serious workout.