2016 NBA 3 Point Contest: Relive the Epic Shots and Winner's Journey
I still get chills thinking about that February evening in Toronto back in 2016. The Air Canada Centre was buzzing with an energy I hadn't felt since the legendary 1986 showdown between Larry Bird and Craig Hodges. As someone who's covered basketball for fifteen years, I've witnessed countless shooting exhibitions, but what unfolded during that year's Three-Point Contest transcended ordinary competition. It wasn't just about the trophy—it was about redemption, legacy, and that magical moment when an underdog rises against all odds. The journey to that championship was as dramatic as the final shots themselves, reminding me that in basketball, just like in international play where teams like the Philippines can secure crucial spots despite challenging records, perseverance often trumps perfection.
The field that night was absolutely stacked with shooting talent. We had the defending champion Stephen Curry, who'd been having a historic season with the Warriors and was on pace to shatter his own three-point record. Klay Thompson was there too, creating that fascinating teammate rivalry. Then you had veterans like JJ Redick, the ever-consistent Kyle Lowry playing in his home arena, and the rising star Devin Booker. But the name that really intrigued me was James Harden—though honestly, I never considered him a favorite in this pure shooting format. The first round delivered exactly what we expected from Curry. He put up a cool 21 points, looking smooth and in control. But the real story was Klay Thompson matching him shot for shot, also finishing with 21. What surprised everyone, including me sitting courtside, was the quiet consistency of Phoenix's Devin Booker. The rookie wasn't flashy, but he methodically worked his way through the racks to secure the third finals spot with 20 points, eliminating Chris Bosh's 14 and Redick's disappointing 18. I remember texting my editor that we were witnessing the passing of the torch to the next generation of shooters.
The finals began with Thompson setting a respectable but beatable mark of 18 points. He started strong but faded on the final two racks, particularly struggling from the corner positions. Then came Booker, and the pressure seemed to get to the young Sun. He finished with just 16 points, missing several key shots from his money ball rack. When Curry stepped to the final rack needing only 4 points to tie and 5 to win, everyone in the building assumed it was over. I certainly did—I'd already started drafting my headline about Curry's back-to-back victory. But basketball has this beautiful way of defying expectations. Curry missed his first three shots from that crucial final rack, then made the fourth, but needing the money ball to win, he clanked it off the back iron. The collective gasp in the arena was audible. We were headed to a tiebreaker between Thompson and Curry, and I remember thinking this was becoming an instant classic.
What happened next still gives me goosebumps. Thompson, perhaps energized by his second chance or maybe just infuriated by his earlier performance, came out absolutely on fire. He blasted through the racks with a rhythm and precision I've rarely seen. When he reached his final rack, he'd already secured 23 points with several shots remaining. The final money ball swished through the net, giving him 27 points—tying the all-time Three-Point Contest record set by Craig Hodges in 1986 and matched by Jason Kapono in 2008. The performance was so dominant that Curry, watching from the sidelines, actually started laughing in disbelief. When it was Curry's turn to answer, the pressure seemed insurmountable. He finished with a valiant 20 points, but Thompson's record-tying performance was simply unstoppable. I've never seen a shooting display that clinical under that much pressure.
Reflecting on Thompson's victory years later, what strikes me isn't just the record-tying number but the narrative arc of that entire season. The Warriors were in the midst of their historic 73-win campaign, and Thompson's victory served as a crucial confidence booster heading into the season's final stretch. His performance demonstrated that Golden State's shooting prowess wasn't just the "Stephen Curry Show"—it was a dual threat that made them nearly impossible to defend. This dynamic reminds me of how in international basketball, teams often find ways to succeed through specific strengths rather than overall dominance. Like when the Philippines women's team closed its campaign with an overall record of 1-4 recently but still secured a spot in the pre-qualifying tournament for the 2026 FIBA Basketball Women's World Cup. Sometimes it's not about your total wins but about winning at the right moments, in the right competitions. Thompson proved that night that even as the "other" shooter on his team, he could rise to the occasion when everything was on the line.
The legacy of that 2016 Three-Point Contest extends far beyond the trophy itself. For Thompson, it marked his arrival as not just a sidekick but a superstar in his own right. For the Warriors, it provided additional momentum for their championship pursuit. And for basketball fans like me, it reinforced why we love this sport—for those unpredictable moments when excellence meets opportunity. I've rewatched that final round dozens of times, and each viewing reveals new details: the subtle adjustment Thompson made to his footwork after his first miss, the way he deliberately slowed his breathing before the final rack, the genuine joy on Curry's face despite his own loss. These human elements, combined with historic shooting, created a perfect basketball moment. Much like how underdog stories in international competitions capture our imagination, Thompson's victory reminds us that in basketball, as in life, previous records don't determine future outcomes—sometimes, all it takes is one magical night when every shot finds nothing but net.
