All-Star Trae Young will appear in a new kind of 3-point contest at All-Star Saturday Night in Chicago.
The NBA is changing the format by adding a pair of deep shots that will be worth three points apiece. The NBA announced the change Tuesday night.
Young ranks among the NBA’s top 10 in 3-pointers made per game this season. He has made 156 of 425 (.367) 3-point attempts this season.
The list of competitors for the 3-point contest this season includes Young, Portland’s Damian Lillard, Sacramento’s Buddy Hield, Washington’s Davis Bertans, Charlotte’s Devonte’ Graham, Miami’s Duncan Robinson, Chicago’s Zach LaVine and Brooklyn’s Joe Harris.
The two additional shots will come from six feet beyond the 3-point line, between the racks located on the wings and the one at the top of the key. Those shots — only one from each spot called the MTN DEW Zone — will be taken with a special green ball.
The move means each round will now be a total of 27 shots instead of 25, and competitors will now get 70 seconds to finish their shots instead of the customary 60.
The change is being made in part to stay consistent with the times, since NBA players are shooting more shots from deeper distances than ever. There have been nearly 300 shots made from at least 30 feet this season, already more than the total from last season.
The rest of the format for the 3-point contest — five shots per rack, five different racks, most shots worth one point and a special “money ball” worth two points — remains unchanged. There is one rack composed of five “money balls,” which a shooter can place at any of the competition’s five regular spots. The maximum score that can be reached is now 40, six more than the previous maximum.
All-Star Saturday is Feb. 15, one night before the All-Star Game.
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