When it comes to long-range marksmanship, few can match the prowess of Damian Lillard. The Milwaukee Bucks star and Oakland native is the two-time reigning NBA 3-Point Contest champion. Now, as the event returns to the Bay Area for the first time in 25 years, Lillard has a chance to make history by capturing an unprecedented third straight title in his hometown.
Lillard’s Legendary Long-Range Accuracy
While Golden State’s Stephen Curry is widely regarded as the greatest shooter of all time, a deeper dive into the numbers reveals that Lillard is the NBA’s true king of the deep three. Over the past decade, the former Blazer has been the league’s most accurate high-volume shooter from 30-plus feet:
- Lillard: 31.9% on 240 attempts
- Curry: 27.1% on 179 attempts
Lillard’s ability to consistently drain shots from near half-court is unrivaled. His range frequently catches defenders off-guard, as evidenced by this 32-footer against the 76ers:
Maxey sought to close out but was too late. The performance — a season-high 43 points with eight 3s without injured superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo — looked a lot like the dominant Portland version of Lillard who once scored 71 in a game.
The Secrets of Lillard’s Jump Shot
What makes Lillard’s shooting stroke so unique? The nine-time All-Star actually rests the ball completely on his palm before flicking it off his fingertips. This unconventional technique requires incredible consistency, which Lillard has mastered:
- His 3-point release time has been 0.37-0.38 seconds for 5 straight seasons
- This consistent, quick release is optimal for the 3-Point Contest format
Chasing a Three-Peat in His Hometown
The last time the NBA All-Star Game came to the Bay Area in 2000, a 9-year-old Lillard was there competing in a 3-point contest for fans. 25 years later, the hometown hero has a chance to further cement his status as one of the greatest shooters ever:
It’s definitely a full-circle moment. It was a great week. A lot of memories. Now, a quarter century later, Lillard is vying to earn the NBA 3-point contest hardware for a third consecutive year, something only two players (Larry Bird and Craig Hodges) have done.
Will Damian Lillard rise to the occasion once again and make NBA history in front of his hometown fans? The 2025 NBA 3-Point Contest is shaping up to be must-see TV. But one thing is clear – when it comes to knocking down deep threes, “Logo Lillard” is truly in a league of his own.
