The NBA 3-Point Contest crown is officially up for grabs, and the betting board says one name still towers over the rest: Damian Lillard. The seven-time All-Star returns to All-Star Saturday as the favorite, but this field is far from a coronation. A mix of young snipers, proven playoff shooters, and one fascinating rookie wild card has turned the 2026 contest into one of the most intriguing long-range showdowns in years.
Sharpshooting competitions are rarely about reputation — they’re about rhythm, nerves, and whether a player can find a heater with millions watching. That’s why Kon Knueppel and Jamal Murray sitting right behind Lillard on the odds board isn’t disrespect; it’s recognition that this event rewards streaks more than résumés. One hot rack can erase a decade of experience.
2026 NBA 3-Point Contest Odds
Player
Team
Odds
Damian Lillard
POR Trail Blazers
+310
Kon Knueppel
CHA Hornets
+450
Jamal Murray
DEN Nuggets
+525
Tyrese Maxey
PHI 76ers
+550
Donovan Mitchell
CLE Cavaliers
+550
Norman Powell
MIA Heat
+700
Devin Booker
PHX Suns
+800
Bobby Portis
MIL Bucks
+1200
Damian Lillard (+310)
Damian Lillard hasn’t played all season, so rust could be a factor this weekend. But, few players in NBA history have blended volume, range, and clutch shot-making the way Lillard has.
The 3-Point Contest is built for his style. He doesn’t need perfect mechanics to get hot; he needs one rack to unlock that logo-shooting confidence.
The concern isn’t talent, it’s pressure. Favorites in this event have a shaky history, and Lillard will be shooting with the expectation that anything short of a trophy is a disappointment.
Still, if this turns into a rhythm contest rather than a gimmick show, the field is chasing him.
Kon Knueppel (+450)
Every few years a newcomer walks into All-Star Weekend and steals the event. Knueppel has that kind of profile. The Hornets rookie has been one of the purest catch-and-shoot threats in the league all season, and his quick, compact release is tailor-made for the timed format.
Knueppel is already on pace to shatter the NBA’s rookie 3-point record and he’s knocking down 42.8% of his long-range shots, which is an absurd mark for a first-year player.
Unlike veterans who grew up spacing the floor, Knueppel was raised on modern movement shooting — deep range, corner sprints, and no hesitation. That matters when money balls start flying. He doesn’t feel like a novelty invite; he feels like a problem.
Jamal Murray (+525)
If this contest were held in the playoffs, Murray might be the favorite.
The Nuggets guard has made a career out of getting hot on the biggest stages, and his mechanics are among the cleanest in basketball. He’s not a volume gunner like Lillard, but he’s a rhythm shooter who thrives when the lights get bright.
The question is pace. Murray plays at his own tempo in games, and the 3-Point Contest forces shooters into a sprint. If he adjusts early, he’s got a shot to win the whole thing.
Tyrese Maxey (+550)
Maxey has developed into a superstar over the past three years but he’s been an up-and-down shooter throughout his six NBA seasons. He’s shot below 34% from long-range twice while also hitting 42.7% in 2021-22 and 43.4% in 2022-23.
This year, Maxey has blossomed as a high-volume scorer, averaging a career-high 28.8 points per game while shooting 37.9% from distance.
Despite his inconsistency at times, his lightning quick release makes him a real threat in this format. If he survives the first rack nerves, he has 30-point round upside.
Donovan Mitchell (+550)
Mitchell is a streaky shooter with a ton of upside.
He’s capable of looking ordinary and then blacking out for an entire rack.
His game shots are often off the dribble rather than off the catch, which makes the contest an adjustment, but he has enough natural touch to steal a round if the money balls start dropping.
Norman Powell (+700)
Norman Powell is the sleeper pick who will be a legitimate threat to the top contenders.
Powell has quietly been one of the most efficient catch-and-shoot players in the NBA for years, living in the corners and knocking down pressure looks in big games. He doesn’t have the superstar pedigree that other participants carry, but he’s knocked down at least 39% over his 3-pointers in each of the last six seasons.
At +700, he’s arguably the best pure value on the board.
Devin Booker (+800)
Booker has perfect textbook mechanics and as pretty a jumper as anyone in the league, yet his numbers have never matched his reputation.
A career 35% shooter from 3-point range, Booker is shooting just 31% from deep this season, the lowest mark of his career.
Sometimes beautiful form doesn’t translate to results from long-range and that’s been his issue. Still, betting against a generational scorer at +800 always feels a little dangerous.
Bobby Portis (+1200)
Portis is the wild swing of the night.
Big men rarely win this event and he’s not known for stretching the floor, but he’s steadily improved as a 3-point shooter throughout his career.
After shooting just 30.8% from 3-point range as a rookie, Portis has knocked down at least 37% of his 3-pointers in each of the last six seasons while increasing his volume along the way. This year, Portis has shot a blistering 45.6% from 3-point range on 4.2 attempts per game, good for fourth in the NBA in 3-point percentage.
Portis has the confidence and the stroke to challenge the league’s top shooters. And if he sneaks into the final, the crowd will be on his side.
Prediction: Kon Knueppel (+450)
Lillard deserves to be favored, but the value lives with Knueppel. The contest rewards repeatable mechanics and rhythm shooting and the rookie checks both boxes. He’s spent his entire life shooting off movement with a rack timer in his head, and he won’t feel the weight of expectation the way Dame will.
If you’re chasing upside, Knueppel is the play. If you want safety, Lillard is the floor. Either way, this year’s 3-Point Contest feels less like an exhibition and more like a legitimate shootout — and that’s exactly how it should be.
Best Longshot Bet: Bobby Portis (+1200)
While the odds label him a massive underdog, Portis has been the most efficient 3-point shooter in the field this season. If he can maintain that rhythm under the lights, his stationary set-shot is perfectly built to upset the guard-heavy favorites and provide a massive payout. At +1200 odds, this feels like a steal, especially given the fact that the odds-on favorite hasn’t played a competitive game yet this season.
