2023 NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest: Format and rules explained
The NBA’s 2023 All-Star weekend showcases all of the skills that make the NBA so exciting, and the 3-point contest is the top of the heap.
With the All-Star weekend, you have to admit that one thing the NBA can really do is put on a spectacle. With the Celebrity Game, the Skills Challenge, the Rising Stars, and the eye-catching Slam Dunk contest, they have their finger right on the pulse of what fans want. But the true jewel in the crown is the 3-point competition.
Some of the best shooters in the world will try and display their endurance and accuracy to become the 3-point champion for 2023. Here are the rules and format as per NBA.com.
STARRY 3-POINT CONTEST: FORMAT AND RULES
- Ball racks are positioned at five main shooting locations around the three-point arc.
- Four of the racks contain four official NBA game balls and one multi-colored “money” ball.
- The NBA game balls are worth one point. The multi-colored “money” ball is worth two points.
- For each rack, the multi-colored “money” ball can only be shot after the four orange balls are shot.
- The fifth rack will be a special “all money ball” rack. Each competitor will decide the spot for this rack to be placed at one of the five main shooting locations. Every ball on this rack is worth two points.
- Two ball pedestals are positioned at “Starry Range” (two deep shot locations between racks 2 and 3 and the other between racks 3 and 4.
- Each ball pedestal holds one special white “Starry” ball.
- Shots made with the white ball are worth 3 points.
- Players must exhaust the ball racks and pedestals in competition order before moving on to the next shooting location.
- Players may not start on or over the 3-point line while shooting. The basket will not count if the line is violated. For the two additional deep shots, the player must begin their shooting motion with at least one foot in “Starry Range,” designated by a floor decal.
Instant Replay
- At the discretion of the referee, instant replay may be utilized for clarification of rules compliance.
Time Limit
- Each competitor has 70-seconds (1:10) to shoot as many of the 27 balls as he can.
First Round
- Order of competition will be determined by random drawing
- The three players with the highest scores advance to the Championship Round.
Final Round
- Three players will compete in the Final Round.
- The competition order for the Final Round will be determined by the inverse order of First Round scores. (e.g., the player with the lowest score in the First Round among the players who advanced shoots first in the Final Round).
Tiebreakers
To Advance from First Round
- In the event of a tie to determine the Final Round participants, a 30-second tiebreaker will take place using the same competition format described above. If necessary, this process will be repeated until the tie is broken.
To Determine Champion
- In the event of a tie to determine the Champion, a full 70-second (1:10) tiebreaker will take place. If necessary, this process will be repeated until the tie is broken.