The Association crew gives their predictions for the State Farm 3-Point Contest.
From time to time, NBA.com’s writers will share their takes on the biggest storylines and trends around the league.
Who wins Kia Shooting Stars, State Farm 3-Point Contest and AT&T Slam Dunk and why?
Editor’s Note: The 2026 NBA All-Star Saturday events begin at 5 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock.
Steve Aschburner
State Farm 3-Point Contest: Kon Knueppel. I’m going with Knueppel because a rookie has never won this event. That tells me one is due, plus my hunch that the seven vets in the field won’t rattle the Hornets’ fundamentally sound youngster as he challenges them for the spotlight.
Kia Shooting Stars: Team Harper. If teamwork matters at all in the Stars competition, I figure Ron Harper and his sons, Dylan and Ron Jr., have been practicing in driveways, playgrounds and gyms for most of the past two decades.
AT&T Slam Dunk: Keshad Johnson. As for Johnson, my handicapping of the dunkers typically filters the field down by a) eliminating the tallest guy (it’s harder for their dunks to look spectacular), b) thinking twice about the littlest guy, and c) giving bonus points to the guy who has played the least so far this season. That eliminated, in order, Jaxson Hayes, Jase Richardson and Carter Bryant. Johnson has the vertical, the energy from limited Miami participation thus far and the hunger to leave his mark on the weekend.
Brian Martin
Will Team Knicks emerge as the winners at Kia Shooting Stars during All-Star Saturday?
State Farm 3-Point Contest: Kon Knueppel. In a field stacked with veterans — including Damian Lillard going for his third title in four years and Devin Booker seeking his second 3-point championship — give me the rookie. Knueppel ranks second in total 3-pointers made (183) and shoots 43.1% on 3-pointers through his first 54 games.
Kia Shooting Stars: Team Knicks. New York’s squad features one of the best shooting bigs of all time (Karl-Anthony Towns) and a pair of guards (Jalen Brunson, Allan Houston) known for making big shots when it counts. Knicks fans will never forget Houston’s game-winning bucket over the rival Heat in Game 5 of the 1999 playoffs or his half-court shot to lead Team New York to the Shooting Stars win at All-Star Saturday in 2012 in New York City. Oh, and don’t forget about Brunson, the reigning Kia Clutch Player of the Year.
AT&T Slam Dunk: Jase Richardson. Can Jase Richardson follow in his father’s footsteps and become an NBA Slam Dunk champion? NBA legend Jason Richardson went back-to-back as dunk champ in 2002 and 2003 with some electrifying throwdowns; he is one of seven players to win multiple Slam Dunk contests. However, there has never been a father-son Slam Dunk champion duo. Can Jase help put the Richardson name in the record books?
Shaun Powell
State Farm 3-Point Contest: Damian Lillard. Yes, this is an out-of-the-box choice, a sentimental one as well, and let’s face it, an unconventional pick. Lilalrd has more than earned his stripes in this contest, but this time he enters without a single bead of sweat falling from his forehead during an inactive season. Still on the mend from offseason surgery, Lillard has most likely spent his time shooting (if only because he can’t do any contact work yet). Which means he’s ready for this event.
Kia Shooting Stars: Team Knicks. This contest has a nice flavor to it, combining active players with one retired player, and it favors the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the best 3-point shooting big men ever, Jalen Brunson is streaky yet capable of holding his own, and Allan Houston is the difference-maker here. He’s still in playing shape, and as you know, even oldsters can still shoot if nothing else.
AT&T Slam Dunk: Jase Richardson. We will see how far the apple falls from the tree with young Richardson. His father, Jason, was a supreme dunker in his day, and you would think he taught his son a thing or two. Jase is just 6-foot-1, but all he needs to do is pop in a VCR tape of his father winning the 2002 and ’03 contests, copy a few of those winning slams and it’s all good.
John Schuhmann
Miami’s Keshad Johnson was picked by half of our writers as the favorite in the AT&T Slam Dunk contest.
State Farm 3-Point Contest: Jamal Murray. He’s having a terrific season and is as flammable as they come.
Kia Shooting Stars: Team Knicks. The best group of shooters, by far.
AT&T Slam Dunk: Keshad Johnson. Of the three non-centers, Johnson had, by a good margin, the best max-vertical-leap tally at the Draft Combine. Johnson jumped 42 inches, while Bryant and Richardson jumped 39.5 and 38 inches, respectively.