Three-Time Champion: Lillard Proves Great Shooting Travels

Damian Lillard isn’t playing this season. Not a minute.

And yet, on Saturday night in Inglewood, he walked off the floor with the one trophy that doesn’t care about minutes, rotations, or load management.

The 2026 3-Point Contest was supposed to be a fun side quest on All-Star Saturday — something you watch while scrolling your phone, waiting for the dunk contest to either save the night or completely derail it. Instead, it turned into the most “NBA in 2026” thing imaginable: a superstar rehabbing a torn Achilles steps up, looks completely comfortable, and becomes just the third three-time champion in event history.

The Field Had A Little Bit Of Everything

This wasn’t one of those years where the league struggles to get stars to show up. The group had real credibility. Legit shooters. Guys who actually take and make threes regularly.

The field featured:

• Devin Booker (former champion, one of the cleanest shot-makers in the league)

• Damian Lillard (defending champ and one of the greatest deep shooters ever)

• Tyrese Maxey (high-volume, high-speed rhythm shooter)

• Donovan Mitchell (streaky but explosive)

• Jamal Murray (big-moment reputation, elite pull-up shooter)

• Norman Powell (quietly one of the most efficient catch-and-shoot players in the league)

• Bobby Portis (the wildcard)

• Rookie Kon Knueppel (the unknown factor)

And that last one mattered more than anyone expected.

Because every year, one player turns this thing from predictable into chaos. This time, it was the rookie.

First Round: Booker Sets The Tone

Knueppel stepping up first ended up being the perfect table-setter. There’s no scouting report in this environment. No real expectations. Just rhythm, confidence, and whether the moment speeds you up.

He opened with 27, and it immediately changed the pressure level for everyone behind him. That’s the sneaky part of this contest. If someone opens up hot — especially a rookie — the other players immediately feel like they have to do better.

After that, the middle of the field felt oddly flat. Jamal Murray struggled to find any rhythm and finished with 17. Bobby Portis never really got going and ended at 15. Maxey and Powell were solid but not explosive. Donovan Mitchell had a respectable 24, but it just wasn’t enough.

Then Booker walked out.

And from the first rack, you could see the difference. His base was tight. The release was smooth. The pace never sped up. There’s a calm to Booker’s shot that translates perfectly to this environment, and he looked like someone who had been thinking about this moment for months.

He posted a 30 in the first round — the best score of the night — and it didn’t feel fluky or rushed. It felt controlled. Intentional.

Lillard was last, and the math was simple. He needed 27 to move on.

That’s where experience shows up. He didn’t panic. Didn’t chase points. Didn’t try to do anything dramatic.

He hit exactly 27. Knueppel. Booker. Lillard. That was the final.

Championship Round

Knueppel Comes Back To Earth

The finals are always about reset speed. The best shooters in the world can get hot, but the truly elite ones can restart. Knueppel couldn’t.

He went first and looked just a half-step off. The legs didn’t look as fresh. The rhythm wasn’t as smooth. He finished with 17, and you could almost feel the shift. He had been the early surprise. Now he was the benchmark.

Lillard Drops A 29 And Makes Everybody Sweat

Then came Lillard.

He wasn’t rushing. He wasn’t celebrating. He just looked locked in. The mechanics were identical every rack. Same lift. Same follow-through. Same tempo.

He finished with 29, making 21 of 27 shots.

That number is important because it meant Booker would have to at least match his first-round score of 30 to win this.

Booker’s Finals Run Was A Roller Coaster

Booker started like someone who fully expected to win.

He hit his first nine shots. Nine.

That kind of start does two things. It builds confidence, but it also introduces pressure. Because now you know you’re close. You start thinking about the finish line. He cooled off a touch through the middle racks and reached the right corner — his money-ball rack — sitting at 23.

He made the first two money balls. Now he was at 27.

Three balls left. One ties. Two wins. He missed the final three.

Just like that, it was over. Lillard 29, Booker 27. And a trophy that looked like it was halfway to Phoenix suddenly headed to Portland.

The 3-Point Contest Is The Main Event Now

This is the debate fans keep circling back to every year, and this performance only strengthened it. The 3-point contest might be the best event on All-Star Saturday.

Not because it’s flashy. Because it’s honest. There’s no fake defense. No judging controversy. No “did he try?” narratives. It’s just a clock, a rack, and the ability to perform under pressure. And when stars show up, it works.

This event consistently produces real tension. The dunk contest, when it hits, is incredible. But when it misses, it’s rough. And lately they've really struggled to get the stars in it.

The 3-point contest almost never misses.

All Eyes On 2027

The ripple effects from this night go beyond one trophy.

Phoenix hosts All-Star Weekend next year. Booker now has a built-in storyline. Redemption on his home floor. Those final three misses will be part of every preview.

Stephen Curry has already said he plans to enter the 2027 contest in Phoenix and even teased recruiting Klay Thompson. If that happens, it could turn into the most anticipated shooting contest in years.

And for Lillard, the motivation is obvious. A fourth title. History. One more chance to prove that “Dame Time” isn’t just branding — it’s a real thing.

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