3-Point Contest 2027: Curry Wants to Challenge Lillard, Durant and Thompson
The 2027 3-Point Contest is shaping up to be historic: Stephen Curry is spearheading a plan to bring together the NBA’s greatest shooters in a single showdown from beyond the arc
One of the few bright spots of the latest NBA All-Star Week was the traditional 3-Point Contest, a staple event that has preceded the All-Star Game for nearly 40 years.
The spotlight, in particular, was on a resilient Damian Lillard, who despite the Achilles tendon injury that has sidelined him since April 27 of last year, managed to capture a historic victory in the 3-Point Contest.
For the former Bucks guard, it marked his third career win in the competition – an achievement that further cements him among the greatest long-range shooters in league history, alongside legends such as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Looking ahead to the 2027 3-Point Contest in Phoenix, rumors suggest that several NBA superstars are seriously considering putting together the greatest shooting competition of all time. The goal? To unite the premier long-range specialists of the past generation on the same floor.
In an interview with NBC, Stephen Curry himself confirmed the rumors, explaining that he has personally taken steps to make the project a reality as soon as next year:
The event is 100% happening – I’ve already scheduled it. Dame and I are definitely in, and I’ll try to bring Klay, KD and many other champions.
Stephen Curry
The Golden State Warriors’ No. 30 appeared genuinely excited about the idea of a 3-Point Contest featuring so many stars. And it’s not hard to imagine the media impact of a direct showdown between Curry, Lillard, Thompson and Kevin Durant.
The competition format was modified in 2002, going from eight to six participants. For an event of this magnitude, however, it’s reasonable to envision an expanded field – especially if the goal is to make the 2027 3-Point Contest the most spectacular ever.
Beyond the four names mentioned by Curry – Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry – the first player that comes to mind is Anthony Edwards, one of the league’s top three-point shooters: 3.4 threes per game on 40.2% shooting this season, 4.1 on 39.5% the previous year.
If the format remains at six participants, the final spots could go to Luka Doncic or James Harden, two very different players but potentially devastating in a pure shooting contest.
And it doesn’t stop there: players such as Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, Devin Booker, Jamal Murray or Kyrie Irving would elevate the level of competition even further, turning the NBA 3-Point Contest into a generational event.