After winning the NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest for the third time on Saturday, Damian Lillard already wants to run it back.
And the Portland Trail Blazers star is recruiting other legendary three-point shooters to join him for the 2027 contest.
ESPN reported Monday that Lillard shared a screenshot of messages between him and Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, with Lillard trying to coax Curry, Klay Thompson, Devin Booker and others into competing when All-Star weekend hits Phoenix next February.
“Next year … me, you, klay, book, and 4 more real shooters …” Lillard’s message reads.
“Yessir I’m in,” Curry responded. “Know Klay will do it if I ask and book will be at home. Perfect setup.”
Curry is a two-time winner of the contest (2015, 2021), while Thompson, Curry’s former Warriors teammate who’s now with the Dallas Mavericks, took home the title in 2016.
Booker, who plays for the Phoenix Suns and won the 2018 contest, came up just short against Lillard in Saturday’s contest in Inglewood, California, finishing the final round with a score of 27.
That wasn’t enough to catch Lillard, who drained 21 of 27 shots to finish with 29 points in the final round. Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Kneuppel took third, scoring 17 in the final round.
The contest marked Lillard’s first competitive action on an NBA floor since he tore his left Achilles tendon during last season’s playoffs while with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Lillard, who also won in 2023 and 2024, became the third player to win the 3-Point Contest three times, joining Larry Bird (1986-88) and Craig Hodges (1990-92).