The 2023 NBA 3-Point Contest has a loaded field, with superstars Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard competing this year, and several young players looking to make their mark.
The 3-Point Contest is arguably the most electric event of All-Star weekend, especially since the league has seen an increase in players taking and making 3s. That’s allowed for all types of players to participate in the contest, including last year’s winner, big man Karl-Anthony Towns.
Towns, who is injured right now, won’t get a chance to defend his crown, but there are two bigs, Julius Randle and Lauri Markkanen, in the field that will look to show that you don’t have to be a guard or wing to shoot the 3 at a high rate.
This contest is wide open, with Buddy Hield (+420) coming in as the favorite. If you pick the winner, you’re going to have a chance to really cash in on some favorable odds.
Let’s break down the participants, odds, history and my pick for this year’s 3-Point Contest:
NBA 3-Point Contest participants
- Tyrese Haliburton – Indiana Pacers
- Damian Lillard – Portland Trail Blazers
- Buddy Hield – Indiana Pacers
- Tyler Herro – Miami Heat
- Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
- Lauri Markkanen – Utah Jazz
- Julius Randle – New York Knicks
- Kevin Huerter – Sacramento Kings
Randle replaces injured Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons in this year’s contest.
Randle was already expected to be at the league’s All-Star festivities since he made the All-Star team with his strong play for New York this season.
NBA 3-Point Contest odds
NBA 3-Point Contest recent winners
- 2022: Karl-Anthony Towns – Minnesota Timberwolves
- 2021: Steph Curry – Golden State Warriors
- 2020: Buddy Hield – Sacramento Kings
- 2019: Joe Harris – Brooklyn Nets
- 2018: Devin Booker – Phoenix Suns
- 2017: Eric Gordon – Houston Rockets
- 2016: Klay Thompson – Golden State Warriors
- 2015: Stephen Curry – Golden State Warriors
- 2014: Marco Belinelli – San Antonio Spurs
- 2013: Kyrie Irving – Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2012: Kevin Love – Minnesota Timberwolves
NBA 3-Point Contest prediction and pick
Hield is the only person in the field who has won the 3-Point Contest before, so he is set as the rightful favorite.
However, Towns was dead last in the odds last season and came out the winner. I’m not saying you should bet on Randle at +950, but is he worth a sprinkle? He could be.
Shooting in the 3-Point Contest is much different than in game, as players have to grab the ball off a rack and get into their shooting motion.
It seems to favor catch-and-shoot players (outside of Steph Curry, who is amazing at everything shooting), when you look at the past winners. Only Devin Booker and Kyrie Irving are known for taking more of their shots off the dribble in the past 10 winners.
Even though Lillard is way up in the odds, I don’t think he’s the guy to bet on. Dame is an unbelievable shooter, but he takes a lot of his in-game shots from wild angles and extremely deep ranges. That’s not what the 3-Point Contest is about.
I’ll probably sprinkle on Randle at +950 and Tyler Herro at +800 since they are so far down the list, but I think Huerter (+600) is the best bet to win this contest.
Only Curry has won the 3-Point contest twice in the last 10 years, so asking Hield to repeat may be a tall task.
This season, Huerter is shooting 39.2 percent from beyond the arc this season on nearly seven attempts per game. He’s my pick to win this contest.
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