Paul George To Compete In Three-Point Contest

Thunder forward Paul George is one of eight contestants selected to showcase their range in the JBL Three-Point Contest, part of All-Star Saturday Night.

Competing against George is defending champ Eric Gordon and 2016 winner Klay Thompson. The eight-player field also features Devin Booker, Wayne Ellington, Bradley Beal, Tobias Harris and Kyle Lowry.

The Three-Point Contest is Saturday, Feb 17 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

2018 JBL Three-Point Contest Participants

Bradley Beal, Wizards: A first-time All-Star in his sixth season, Beal is 14th in the NBA in three-pointers made (123) after finishing seventh in that category last season (223).  He also ranks 14th in scoring average with a career-high 23.8 points per game.

Devin Booker, Suns: Booker reached the final round of the 2016 JBL Three-Point Contest as a rookie.  This season, the NBA’s 12th-leading scorer (24.4 ppg) is making 2.6 three-pointers per game and shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc, both the best of his three-year career.

Wayne Ellington, Heat: In his ninth season, Ellington ranks fourth in the NBA in three-pointers made with a career-high 153.  He is averaging a career-high 11.2 points.

Paul George, Thunder: The five-time All-Star (21.3 ppg) is shooting a career-high 42.3 percent from three-point range and ranks fifth in the NBA in three-pointers made with 150.  George connected on a record nine three-pointers and scored 41 points in the 2016 NBA All-Star Game.

Eric Gordon, Rockets: Gordon won the 2017 JBL Three-Point Contest in his competition debut, edging Kyrie Irving in a tiebreaker after they posted the same score in the final round.  The 2016-17 Kia NBA Sixth Man Award winner, Gordon has made the sixth-most three-pointers in the NBA this season (146) while averaging 19.1 points.

Tobias Harris, Clippers: The seven-year veteran has already surpassed his career high for three-pointers in a season, sinking 113 at a career-high 40.9 percent clip.  Harris, who was acquired by the Clippers in a trade with the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 29, is averaging a career-high 18.1 points.

Kyle Lowry, Raptors: Lowry is set for his fourth straight NBA All-Star Game and third consecutive appearance in the Three-Point Contest.  In addition to having the eighth-most three-pointers in the NBA (133), Lowry is one of four players averaging at least 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists (LeBron James, Ben Simmons and Russell Westbrook).

Klay Thompson, Warriors: The 2016 Three-Point Contest champion will appear in this event and the NBA All-Star Game for the fourth consecutive year.  Thompson (20.3 ppg) leads the NBA in three-point field goal percentage (45.4) and ranks second in threes made (164).  

JBL Three-Point Contest Rules

The JBL Three-Point Contest is a two-round, timed competition.  Five shooting locations are positioned around the three-point arc.  Four racks contain four NBA regulation balls (each worth one point) and one multicolored “money” ball (worth two points).  The fifth rack is a special “all money ball” rack, which each participant can place at any of the five locations.  Every ball on this rack is worth two points.

The players have one minute to shoot as many of the 25 balls as they can.  The three competitors with the highest scores in the first round advance to the championship round.  Click here for a complete explanation of the rules.