The Brooklyn Nets forward won the contest in his first appearance last year and should he defend the title in Chicago on Saturday he would become the first player to do so since Jason Kapono won the contest in 2007 and 2008.
Harris led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage last season and is currently shooting 40.5 percent from beyond the arc, marking the third consecutive season he has converted 40 percent of more of his attempts from three-point territory.
If Harris is to defend his title, he’ll have to come out on top of a very talented field, which includes Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield and his Miami Heat counterpart Duncan Robinson.
The former was among the three finalists last season and has made the third-most three-pointers in the league this season, while Robinson ranks fifth in that particular metric and sixth in terms of three-point field goal percentage.
Meanwhile, Zach LaVine hopes to become the first player to win both the Slam Dunk and the 3-Point Contest.
The Chicago Bulls guard won the Slam Dunk Contest in 2015 and 2016 and has set a career-high for three-pointers made this season.
Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young, the NBA’s third-most prolific scorer this season, Charlotte Hornets guard Devonte’ Graham and Washington Wizards small forward Davis Bertans all make their debut in the 3-Point Contest.
It took Young—who was also named as a starter for the All-Star Game—just 46 games this season to match the number of three-pointers he made in 81 appearances last year.
Graham, meanwhile, ranks fourth in the league in three-pointers made and Bertans is shooting 42.9 percent from beyond the arc this year.
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard was also scheduled to compete but will miss out the All-Star Weekend after suffering a right groin second in the second half of Portland’s 111-104 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.
Here’s all you need to know ahead of Saturday.
3-Point Contest date and time
The MTN DEW 3-Point Contest, to give its proper name, gets underway at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 15.
Like all other events on All-Star Weekend this year, it takes place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
3-Point Contest coverage
The 3-Point Contest will be broadcast live on TNT, with a live stream available via TNT’s digital platforms and online.
Who are the participants?
Brooklyn Nets small forward and defending champion Joe Harris headlines the field, along with Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young.
Chicago Bulls point guard Zach LaVine, Washington Wizards small forward Davis Bertans, Charlotte Hornets guard Devonte’ Graham are also among the participants as are Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield and his Miami Heat counterpart Duncan Robinson.
How does the 3-Point Contest work?
The 3-Point Contest takes place over two rounds. The three players with the highest scores progress to the second round, where whoever has the highest score wins.
As usual, the contest will feature five main shooting locations, with four racks containing five balls each—the first four worth one point, plus a multicolored “money” ball worth two points—as well as a special “all money ball” rack.
This year marks the introduction of a new gimmick in the contest, with the addition of two shot zones positioned equidistant between the traditional racks at the top of the 3-point arc and the adjacent “wing” rack.
Each of the two racks is located six feet behind the arc and holds one special green ball, with each shot made worth three points.
As a result, the number of balls has increased from 25 to 27 and a round will last 70 seconds as opposed to 60.
