The NBA dropped the participants for the 3-point contest at the 2026 All-Star game in Los Angeles on Sunday, and to the surprise of many Devin Booker made the cut.

His inclusion overshadowed by Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, who hasn’t played this season due to injury but is clearly good to hoist up some shots on the night.

Booker entering despite 3-point struggles this season

Although Booker has actually won this competition in the past, he did so at a time when he was shooting 38.3 percent from deep back in 2018. To date that is tied for a career high from beyond the arc for the 29-year-old.

Contrast that with this season, and a combination of injury and new teammates has seen Booker’s shooting plummet to 30.7 percent in this area. A career low despite his 5.5 attempts being close enough to his career average of six per contest.

BOOK IT 👌

Devin Booker will participate in the 3-Point Contest at NBA All-Star! pic.twitter.com/SBppEjOxsH

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 8, 2026

So why is Booker entering then? Well the 3-point contest is a lot different to an actual game, plus Booker is going to be there anyway as he’s made the All-Star game proper for the fifth time.

It is also a competition he clearly enjoys, having appeared four times in the past. There is another way to look at him entering as well, although it is unlikely the player himself has done so for this reason.

Booker’s visibility with more casual fans has dipped since Kevin Durant left town, and while the Suns themselves are in a much better place, in the national hierarchy they have slipped.

We are not cynical enough to say that he’s going to show off a new pair of his “Booker 2s” during the game as well, only we know that he will and why wouldn’t he?

Really though this is a great opportunity for those tuning in to get a timely reminder that Booker is still doing his thing in Phoenix, and they are likely going to make the playoffs when all is said and done.

If he were to win the thing for the second time, that would also throw up an interesting wrinkle. Phoenix is hosting the All-Star game next season, so he could defend it there.

Mat Ishbia owns the WNBA franchise in The Valley as well in the Mercury, and perhaps he could even face off against one of their players like Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu did in the past.

It might be surprising to some fans, but really it is just another reason to tune in on the night. Who doesn’t love to see Devin Booker doing his thing? He’s got one of the sweetest strokes in the game.