Trae Young to Compete in 3-Point Contest
Trae Young will compete in the 3-Point Contest in February, the NBA announced Tuesday evening. Young now has events scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night of All-Star weekend, making him the only player slated to appear on all three nights.
Young is shooting 36.7 percent on 9.2 3-point attempts this season. In total, he has made 156 triples on the year -- fourth-most in the NBA and as many as he had over his entire rookie season. He ranks second in the NBA in made shots from at least 30 feet and takes some of the most difficult, contested off-the-dribble 3s in the league. Were it not for Damian Lillard's absurd range, Young might be the best logo-range shooter in the NBA with Steph Curry sidelined with a broken hand.
He will join Lillard, Dāvis Bertāns, Devonte' Graham, Joe Harris, Buddy Hield, Zach LaVine, and Duncan Robinson in the contest. The event will take place after the Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday night. In a new wrinkle, players can shoot from the "MTN DEW Zone," located six feet behind the 3-point line in two spots at the top of the key. Those shots will count for three points rather than one. As usual, each rack has one ABA-styled "money ball" that will be worth two points. Contestants will now have 70 seconds to shoot 27 shots rather than 60 seconds to shoot 25.
Young was invited to participate in the Skills Challenge as well, and initially indicated he might join that field as well, but will not compete in that event this year after finishing second in last year's Skills Challenge. He'll also start the All-Star game for the Eastern Conference on Sunday before taking a well-deserved break ahead of the resumption of Atlanta's schedule on February 20.
