2023 NBA All-Star Focus: 3-Point Contest History

In 1986, the period in which the NBA was experiencing the silky-rocketing viewership and popularity globally. In that same year, a 3-Point contest was introduced.

NBA: The history of 3-Points

Three point shooting was added to the NBA during the 1979-1980 season – which created many high scoring and exciting games throughout the 80s and revolutionized how the game is played today, opened the door to many superstars including Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Reggie Miller, and Ray Allen. 

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The 3-Points first introduced in a defunct ABA (American Basketball Association) during the late 60s. In the early stage of implementation of this added point lane created confusion and chaos within the league with many coaches during that primordial era of 3-points using the line during the crucial moments or when they needed points. 

“You have to tell your players to remember who the shooters are, and when those guys are 25 feet from the basket, get in their jocks and guard them,” said Hubie Brown, the former ABA and NBA Coach. “Don’t give them the 25-footer, which is something players have been conditioned to all their lives. And as a coach, if you have to give him the freedom to take the 25-footer, which is a philosophy that goals against what you learned as a young coach.”

The Evolution of 3 points

In the 2014-2015 season, Stephen Curry revolutionized the basketball game in the Modern Era with his impressive 3-point shooting that led the Golden State Warriors to an impressive Championship aspiration, and later an actual NBA Championship. He made an outstanding 402 three-pointers in the 2015-2016 season . 

Now, the 3-point line obviously changed the landscape and outlook of NBA Today as the former Basketball player Elmore Smith said: “Guys have become super efficient at the shot. You see the NCAA continue to move the line further back because the players can shoot it. At one time, it was only 19 feet at its shortest point.” 

Nowadays, many players continue to improve, utilize the shot in their favor, and the scoring elevated and evolved with many teams continuing to score 70 points and above at the end of the first half, then ending the game by almost 150 points on the regular basis. Even Forwards and Big Men can hit threes and have become a standard for big men aiming to join the NBA Draft or join the league.

“Now you’re seeing it on the fast break, whereas coaches from old school wouldn’t want you to take that shot on the break. They’d want you to challenge the defense and get the highest percentage shot,” the legend Elmore said in an interview. “… You’re seeing guys now driving to the basket, and even though they have an opportunity to take the layup or a much  shorter shot, they are more willing to kick it out to the wide open three-point shooter. I’m not sure the percentages work from that standpoint, but it’s a trend.”

History: The 3-Point Contest Winners

YEAR	WINNER	YEAR	WINNER	YEAR	WINNER
2021	Stephen Curry	2009	Daequan Cook	1996	Tim Legler
2020	Buddy Hield	2008	Jason Kapono	1995	Glen Rice
2019	Joe Harris	2007	Jason Kapono	1994	Mark Price
2018	Devin Booker	2006	Dirk Nowitzki	1993	Mark Price
2017	Eric Gordon	2005	Quentin Richardson	1992	Craig Hodges
2016	Klay Thompson	2004	Voshon Lenard	1991	Craig Hodges
2015	Stephen Curry	2003	Peja Stojakovic	1990	Craig Hodges
2014	Marco Belinelli	2002	Peja Stojakovic	1989	Dale Ellis
2013	Kyrie Irving	2001	Ray Allen	1988	Larry Bird
2012	Kevin Love	2000	Jeff Hornacek	1987	Larry Bird
2011	James Jones	1998	Jeff Hornacek	1986	Larry Bird
2010	Paul Pierce	1997	Steve Kerr

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