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Knicks' Jalen Brunson Hints at Returning to 3-Point Contest

New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson has made two futile visits to All-Star Weekend's 3-Point Contest.

Geoff Magliocchetti

Feb 15, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) competes in the three-point contest during All Star Saturday Night ahead of the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) competes in the three-point contest during All Star Saturday Night ahead of the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
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New York Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson isn't rejecting the idea of a third helping of threes.

Brunson made Knicks All-Star history on Saturday night, becoming just the second New Yorker (along with Trent Tucker) to make multiple showings in the long distance shootout. Alas for Knicks fans, Brunson's connection was cut short, as he failed to make it out of the opening round again, placing fourth with a score of 18 when three men were chosen for advancement.

Per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, Brunson was non-committal when it comes to reprising his role at the 2026 All-Star festivities in Los Angeles.

"Maybe. I don't know," Brunson said.

But he is willing to "leave that door open."

To Brunson's credit, he improved on last year's sixth place posting in Indianapolis and was the first man out alongside two-time defending champion Damian Lillard (Milwaukee). The Knicks captain appeared destined for advancement after hitting four of the first five shots available to him on his first rack but didn't hit more than two shots on any station after that.

“Started off hot, I felt great, and then, oops,” Brunson said in Bondy's report. “I feel like I rushed the last rack. You could practice all you want, but once you get out there it’s a tad different.”

Brunson's tally of 18 was originally enough for advancement, ranking in the top three alongside Darius Garland (Cleveland) and Tyler Herro (Miami). However, Brunson's ticket was immediately voided by Buddy Hield (Golden State), who put up a round-best 31 in front of Bay Area locals.

Both he and Lillard were one point behind third-place man Herro, who eventually bested Hield 24-23 in the final round to secure the victory. Herro is the fifth South Floridian to win the title (joining Glen Rice, Jason Kapono, Daequan Cook, and James Jones), giving the Heat the all-time record in the event.

Early elimination did nothing to curb Brunson's enthusiasm, as he is thoroughly enjoying his second consecutive All-Star Game visit. Brunson will appear in the starting lineup for Sunday's main event (8 p.m. ET, TNT), repping a team curated by Kenny "The Jet" Smith and doing battle with Knicks teammate/2022 3-Point Contest champion Karl-Anthony Towns.

“It’s been good. Last year being the first one and not really knowing what to expect. This time, I think I’m actually kind of enjoying it,” Brunson said, per Bondy. “So it’s been fun having my family here. That’s the best part about.”

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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