When people ask me about the most electrifying moments in NBA All-Star Weekend history, my mind immediately goes to the three-point contest. There's something uniquely compelling about watching the game's greatest shooters line up behind that arc, with nothing but pure shooting skill determining the outcome. Over the years, I've witnessed some truly remarkable performances that made me jump off my couch, but one question consistently emerges in basketball circles: who actually scored the most points in NBA three-point contest history?
I remember watching the 1986 contest like it was yesterday - the inaugural year that introduced this spectacular event to basketball fans worldwide. Larry Bird, with that legendary confidence we all came to love, famously walked into the locker room and asked his competitors, "Who's coming in second?" He backed it up too, winning with what was then an impressive score. But that initial winning score of 15 points seems almost quaint compared to what we'd witness in later years. The evolution of three-point shooting has been extraordinary to watch unfold, transforming from what many considered a gimmick shot into an essential weapon in every elite player's arsenal.
The record that stands above all others belongs to Stephen Curry, who put on what I consider the single greatest shooting display in contest history during the 2021 event. Facing off against his own teammate Mike Conley in the final round, Curry was absolutely unconscious, racking up 31 points out of a possible 34 in the current format. I still get chills thinking about that final rack where he needed just two points to win and instead drained five straight shots. The man was in such a zone that the net barely moved on some of those shots - pure perfection. What made it even more special was that this record-breaking performance came after Curry had surprisingly never won the three-point contest before, despite being widely regarded as the greatest shooter in basketball history.
Before Curry's legendary performance, the record was jointly held at 28 points by both Devin Booker and Buddy Hield. Booker's 2018 performance was particularly impressive because he was just 21 years old at the time, becoming the youngest winner in contest history. I've always felt Booker doesn't get enough credit for how polished his shooting form was even at that young age. Meanwhile, Hield's 2019 victory showcased his incredibly quick release - the ball barely touches his hands before it's launched toward the rim. Both of these performances were spectacular in their own right, but Curry's 31-point masterpiece just exists on another plane entirely.
The evolution of the scoring format itself tells a fascinating story about how three-point shooting has transformed the game. When the contest began, players had just five balls at each of five spots around the arc, with no special "money balls" until later iterations. The introduction of the "money ball rack" - where all five balls on one rack count for two points each - and later the two "MTN DEW Zone" shots worth three points each, fundamentally changed scoring potential. These changes recognized that players were becoming too good for the original format, and honestly, they've made the contest infinitely more exciting to watch.
What's particularly interesting to me is how the three-point contest performance doesn't always correlate with regular-season three-point percentage. Some of the most efficient regular-season shooters have struggled with the unique rhythm and pressure of the contest format. Meanwhile, players like Jason Kapono - not necessarily a household name - put up one of the most dominant performances in history with 25 points back in 2008. Kapono's performance was so methodical and precise that it demonstrated how the contest rewards not just shooting ability but also mental fortitude and consistency under pressure.
Thinking about these incredible shooting displays brings me to consider how different players approach the contest strategically. Some shooters, like Curry, maintain their regular shooting form almost exactly as they would in a game situation. Others develop specific contest techniques, like pausing briefly before the final shot of each rack to reset mentally. I've always preferred watching the shooters who maintain their natural rhythm - there's something more authentic about that approach that resonates with me as a basketball purist.
The global impact of three-point shooting was highlighted recently when considering players like Roger Pogoy, who was scheduled to participate in international competitions before his hamstring injury. While the NBA three-point contest showcases the world's elite shooters, the fundamental skill has spread globally in ways we couldn't have imagined when the contest began. Players from various basketball backgrounds have developed this crucial skill, though the NBA contest remains the ultimate showcase for long-range shooting excellence.
Looking at the statistical progression of winning scores tells its own story about the evolution of shooting in the NBA. From Bird's 15 points in 1986 to Craig Hodges' record 25 points in 1991, then to Kapono's 25 points in 2008, and the recent explosion of high scores with Booker and Hield hitting 28 before Curry's unbelievable 31 - each era has seen its shooting specialists push the boundaries of what we thought possible. I'm convinced we haven't seen the ceiling yet, especially with the current generation of players who've grown up prioritizing three-point shooting from their earliest basketball development.
The three-point contest has given us some of the most memorable moments in All-Star Weekend history, from Larry Bird's three-peat to Ray Allen's textbook-perfect form, and now to Stephen Curry's record-setting performance. Each champion has left their mark on the event, but Curry's 31-point masterpiece represents what I consider the pinnacle of shooting excellence - for now. As the game continues to evolve and the next generation of shooters develops, I wouldn't be surprised to see this record challenged sooner than we might expect. The beautiful thing about basketball is that records are made to be broken, and the three-point contest continues to showcase the ever-advancing skill level that makes today's game so thrilling to watch.
