LaVine motivated to make history at 3-point contest originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
CLEVELAND — Zach LaVine doesn't shy from the question. The opportunity to make history entices him.
That's part of the reason the Chicago Bulls guard will participate in his third consecutive 3-point contest during All-Star Saturday in Cleveland. For the third year in a row, LaVine is vying for an opportunity to become the first player in NBA history to win both the dunk contest (which he's done twice) and 3-point contest in their career.
"100 percent," he said from the All-Star podium when asked if that achievement is significant to him. "There isn't anybody that's done it before, and I think I'm in a unique situation where I've already won the dunk contest twice, and I think I have a chance to win. It'd be really cool, and obviously making history is always something that is something that gets people going. I'm excited."
LaVine was eliminated in the first round of each of his last two forays in the competition.
At All-Star weekend in Chicago in 2020, he placed his moneyball rack — where each make counts for two points — at the top of the key, a decision he rued at the time. In Atlanta in 2021, he placed the rack in his first shooting station, the right corner.
In Cleveland? Undecided, as of now.
"Ah, I don't know yet," he said. "I put it in the middle my first year. I went with 'em first last year in the corner. So I don't know if I'll switch it up this year. But I'm pretty familiar with the competition."
LaVine is also familiar with sniping from behind the arc. This season, he's shooting 57.7 percent from the left corner (15-for-26) and 56 percent from the right (14-for-25). So it's hard to go wrong.
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This year's competition is also unique because none of the contestants have previously won the 3-point crown. Still, the field is deep, featuring fellow All-Stars Trae Young and Fred VanVleet, plus noted marksmen CJ McCollum, Desmond Bane, Karl-Anthony Towns (one of LaVine's closest friends), Luke Kennard and Patty Mills.
While LaVine doesn't see himself running it back every season for the rest of his career, he's motivated to finally emerge victorious in 2022.
"I don't want to be the guy that's in it each and every year and then wait until I win it on like the 10th attempt doing it," he said with a smile. "I shot the ball well this year, I shot it well last year. I'll see how it goes. But I just think the competition's fun, especially if you're in the All-Star game and you're here to compete, I think it's a cool competition."
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