Draymond Green

Draymond Green: Jimmy Butler Was Warriors’ ‘Missing Piece’

February 24th, 2025 at 3:25pm CST by Rory Maher

Jimmy Butler continues to make a positive impact after being traded from Miami to Golden State. The Warriors are now 5-1 since they acquired the six-time All-Star, with their latest victory coming on Sunday in a blowout of the shorthanded Mavericks.

Former Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green said during All-Star weekend that he expects to win his fifth title with Golden State this spring. Asked to explain that statement, Green expressed a belief that Butler was the team’s “missing piece,” according to Marcus Thompson II and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

“I just know what it looks like,” Green told The Athletic. “This team all year has been kind of like, ‘Man, we’re right there, but can’t quite get over the hump.’ But there’s a reason that you feel like you’re right there, but can’t quite get over.

“And the reason I think we all thought we couldn’t quite get over was because there was a missing piece. That piece isn’t missing anymore. That piece is him.”

While some key members of the Warriors were reportedly leery of adding Butler, who has had messy exits with multiple franchises, Green was not among that group. A team source tells The Athletic that the veteran forward/center wanted the front office to add another “a–hole” to the roster.

“Jimmy almost won the championship leading the team — twice,” Green said of Butler, who signed a two-year, maximum-salary extension with the Warriors as part of the trade. “So he just needed a little bit more to get over the hump. I think we needed a little more to get over the hump. You combine those two together, and this one guy with an undying passion and wants to win a championship. It’s like burning for that.

“And then there are some guys who have done it before but are burning to f—ing do it at least one more time. You mix the two together with the know-how — because Jimmy knows how. Obviously, we know how. And what you get is what everybody’s going to see.”

For his part, Butler said he wasn’t aware of Green’s championship proclamation. While Butler didn’t make a bold postseason prediction like his teammate, he said the Warriors aren’t lacking in self-belief.

“I don’t pay attention to social (media), so I didn’t know that (Green) said that,” Butler said. “But we do have a chance. And the reason why is not because I’m here. It’s not because of the energy that I may or may not bring. It’s because everybody thinks that we can win. That’s all that matters.

“If everybody thinks that you can do something, then you can do it. I’m not going to say how it was before I was here. I don’t know. I wasn’t here. But when you go around this locker room, and you see the joy, and you see the excitement that everybody gets to hoop and play basketball with one another, we really think, and we really know, that every time we take the floor, we should win — home or away. That’s the difference-maker in this thing.”

Despite their recent run of strong play, the Warriors are still only the No. 9 seed in the West, with a record of 30-27. However, they’re only 1.5 games behind the Clippers, who currently hold the No. 6 seed — Golden State is eyeing that spot for a guaranteed playoff berth, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

As Slater writes, Butler has helped the Warriors not just improve but thrive when Stephen Curry is off the court, which has been an issue all season long. The 35-year-old has also brought out the best in Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody, who have been starting of late alongside Butler, Green and Curry.

“You can tell our fans see the difference,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “They feel the momentum just like we do. It was an important shift. The trade itself — I think I mentioned this after the Sacramento game — we needed it. We felt it. We were kind of treading water. We couldn’t get any traction in the season, and (general manager) Mike (Dunleavy Jr.) sensed it and made the move. Sometimes you’ve got to shake things up, and we shook things up. It just so happened that one of the best players in the league was available.”

Warriors Notes: Starting Five, Hield, Kuminga, Butler, Curry

February 23rd, 2025 at 1:43pm CST by Luke Adams

In their last game before the All-Star break, the Warriors used their 33rd starting lineup of the season: Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Moses Moody, and Brandin Podziemski.

The group helped lead the team to a road win in Houston and earned another start coming out of the break on Friday in Sacramento. After Golden State registered a blowout victory in that game, head coach Steve Kerr said he plans to stick with this starting five despite its lack of size, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

“I hope so. Because we’ve had a million different starting lineups this year. It’d be nice to stick with this for the rest of the season,” Kerr said. “I think it’s the best two-way starting group we can put on the floor. You get Moses’ shooting, you get BP’s play-making to go with Steph and Jimmy. Then Draymond and Jimmy at the five and four defensively behind the play. We lack size, but we have a lot of brainpower back there.”

Butler, the tallest player in the lineup at 6’7″, admitted that it’s “definitely” the smallest starting five he has been part of, Slater writes. Still, the Warriors’ big trade-deadline acquisition is confident in the quintet’s ability to make it work.

“I like it,” Butler said. “I do. You’ve just got some feisty individuals out there that’s fighting, scrapping on both sides of the ball, sharing the ball, scoring, getting stops. Small or not, we’re getting it done.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Buddy Hield has started 22 games for Golden State this season, including 12 in a row from January 22 to February 12. He has returned to the second unit following Kerr’s latest lineup change, but the Warriors’ coach said the veteran sharpshooter remains “a huge part of what we’re doing,” according to Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. “The way we’re starting is not a reflection of his play,” Kerr said prior to Friday’s win, in which Hield scored 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting in 26 minutes off the bench.
Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, who has been out since January 4 due to a right ankle sprain, participated in his first 5-on-5, full-contact scrimmage on Saturday, according to Kerr (Twitter video link via Slater). While Kuminga appears to be nearing a return, he won’t play today vs. Dallas or on Tuesday vs. Charlotte, Kerr said. The plan is to reevaluate him prior to the five-game road trip that begins on Thursday in Orlando.
In another story for The San Francisco Chronicle, Gordon notes that Butler’s presence puts Golden State in position to run an efficient offense during the minutes when Curry is off the floor. “It’s huge, just having another number one option out there so when Steph goes off the floor, we still have a number one option that we can play through,” Green said on Friday. “He doesn’t shoot much. … He’s just going to make the right play. He’s going to put guys in position to be successful and the defense has to react to him, or he gets easy buckets.”
The Warriors are starting to “figure out a good chemistry” with Butler, according to Curry, who praised his new teammate for his underrated passing ability, per Grant Afseth of Athlon Sports.

Warriors’ Draymond Green: ‘We’re Going To Win The Championship’

February 17th, 2025 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors currently hold the 10th seed in the Western Conference standings with a record of 28-27. If the season ended today, they’d have to win two play-in games just to claim the No. 8 playoff spot.

However, Golden State’s trade deadline acquisition of Jimmy Butler has emboldened Draymond Green, who said during Sunday’s All-Star broadcast as a TNT panelist that he expects to win his fifth NBA title this spring.

“Since (Butler)’s been here, we’ve walked into every game thinking and believing that we’re going to win that game,” Green said (Twitter video link). “And that goes a long way in this league. When you walk in the game like, ‘Ah man, we’re probably gonna lose this game,’ it’s not good. He’s brought back that belief. And I think we’re going to win the championship.”

Asked to repeat that last part, Green continued, “I’m sorry, I said, ‘I think we’re going to win the championship,’ but I lied.’ We are going to win the championship.”

As Sam Amick of The Athletic writes, Green was simply going public with a belief that he had been expressing frequently behind the scenes in recent days. Green told Amick shortly after reporting to All-Star weekend on Friday that Golden State is “absolutely” going to win a championship this year, and he said the same thing to Warriors owner Joe Lacob last week, Amick adds.

Certainly, the Warriors have looked like a more dangerous team since Butler’s arrival, winning three of four road games heading into the All-Star break, including victories in Milwaukee and Houston. They still have plenty of work to do to even secure a playoff spot, but All-Star guard Stephen Curry didn’t balk upon hearing about his teammate’s proclamation.

“We love pressure, we love expectations,” Curry said during an interview on the TNT telecast when asked about Green’s comments (Twitter video link). “He knows that. He’s smart, he knows what he’s saying.”

Curry delivered a similar message during his post-game press conference (Twitter video link): “I’m excited. I got Draymond on the telecast guaranteeing we’re winning a championship. I love expectations and having something to play for, so he’s lighting a fire for sure.

International Players Express Support For U.S. Vs. The World All-Star Format

February 17th, 2025 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

As the NBA searches for ways to revive interest in its All-Star Game, one concept that gets frequent mention is a U.S. vs. the World format. Several international players expressed their support for that idea after Sunday’s mini-tournament, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

“I would love to. My opinion is that it’s more purposeful,” said Victor Wembanyama, who figures to be a regular at the All-Star Game for the next decade or so. “There’s more pride in it. More stakes.”

Nine-time All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo was even more enthusiastic about the idea in his post-game press conference.

“I would love that. Oh, I would love that,” he said. “I think that would be the most interesting and most exciting format. I would love that. For sure, I’d take pride in that. I always compete, but I think that will give me a little bit more extra juice to compete.”

As Reynolds points out, the NHL has been able to generate enormous passion by scrapping its traditional All-Star format and replacing it with the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament. Saturday’s showdown between the U.S. and Canada in Montreal stoked an intense national rivalry and featured three fights in the first nine seconds of the game.

According to Reynolds, some NBA officials are watching the NHL’s success and considering how it could be adapted to basketball. There aren’t enough All-Star players from specific nations to divide them into four teams, but a matchup of American and international stars could create a fresh look for the annual showcase.

“Sometimes things just get old and kind of need a facelift,” Draymond Green said. “I know they’ve done different things to try to get it going. I think what’ll be interesting to see is how this 4 Nations thing turns out in hockey. If that turns out great, might have to peek an eye.”

Reynolds notes that this year’s rosters already feature six international All-Stars, with Wembanyama and Antetokounmpo joined by Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Pascal Siakam and Alperen Sengun. Luka Doncic would likely be there if not for the injuries have plagued him this season, and Reynolds points to Karl-Anthony Towns, who plays for the Dominican Republic in international competitions, as another addition.

However, filling out the World roster could mean adding a few players who aren’t as deserving of All-Star status. It would also take away four spots from American players, who make up roughly 70% of the NBA, which is why there’s reluctance to try it out.

“Not to say we couldn’t figure out a way around this, but to the extent we want to have a fair process for picking All-Stars, if you’re picking half the players from a 30% pool and the other half from a 70% pool, it might not be fair to the players,” commissioner Adam Silver said recently. “So, that’s one thing we’re looking at.”

Players Mixed On New All-Star Format

February 17th, 2025 at 8:03am CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA’s latest attempt to fix the All-Star Game drew a mixed reaction from the players involved, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

Amid declining ratings and a feeling that the All-Stars weren’t motivated enough to really compete, the league scrapped the traditional 48-minute game and divided the players into four teams — three of which were selected by TNT personalities Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith and the other consisting of young players who advanced through Friday’s Rising Stars event.

The teams played three mini-games to 40, with O’Neal’s team defeating Barkley’s in the finals and hometown favorite Stephen Curry winning MVP honors. Curry is among those who welcome the changes after last year’s lifeless 211-186 contest.

“I think it was a good step in the right direction to reinvigorate the game in some way,” he said. “And then you tinker with it again next year and see what changes you can make. I don’t want to compare it to any other era because the world has changed, life is different, the way people consume basketball is different. So, it’s not going to look like it used to. But it still can be fun for everybody.”

More defense was on display this year, Reynolds observes, as the teams shot 50% in the three mini-games, as opposed to 56% a year ago. There were also three combined blocked shots in 48 minutes in the 2024 game, a number that was matched in the first three minutes of the opening contest.

Jalen Brunson is also intrigued by the new format, but suggests that the games should be longer. Jayson Tatum questions the idea of having Rising Stars involved in one of the league’s showcase events.

“Obviously happy for those guys,” Tatum said. “But there is something to be said, it’s kind of a big deal to be an All-Star and play Sunday night. Some guys get snubbed and other guys have to work really, really hard to make the All-Star Game. Playing on Sunday night is special, and it always has been. I’m not saying that that was the right or wrong decision. Trial run, I guess. They’ll continue to make tweaks or whatever.”

There were also concerns that the night had too many stoppages for entertainment purposes, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN. Time was set aside for emcee Kevin Hart to banter with the crowd, and there was a 20-minute break during the final game for a retrospective on the TNT crew.

“To be honest, I didn’t like it at all,” Trae Young said. “I didn’t like the breaks. The games were so short. Obviously, we can score. So, they’re trying to, I feel like, trying to extend the game, extend the TV time with the breaks and things like that.”

Here are a few more reactions from players and media members:

Draymond Green, who served as a guest commentator during the broadcast, was also critical of including the young players and the format change in general (Twitter video link from NBA Central). “I had to work so hard to play on Sunday night of All-Star Weekend,” he said. “And because ratings are down and the game is bad, we’re bringing in rising stars. That’s not a fix.”
Damian Lillard prefers the traditional East-West matchup and said he would be fine with borrowing Major League Baseball’s idea by giving home-court advantage in the Finals to the conference that wins, per Rachel Nichols of Fox Sports 1 (Twitter link). Lillard also suggested replacing the Rising Stars with an “all-snub” team of players who weren’t selected for the game.
Responding to a question about replacing the game with a one-on-one tournament, Kevin Durant said he’d “probably” take part (Twitter video link from Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). “You never know. We never thought we’d see a tournament in an All-Star weekend, either,” Durant said. “Anything is up in the air. I think (NBA commissioner Adam Silver) and those guys are doing a great job of pushing the envelope, trying to be creative, trying to reignite the All-Star weekend. That might be a solution.”
Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard suggests separating All-Stars by age, matching a team of under-30 players with those 30 and older (Twitter link).
Rod Beard of The Detroit News gave the new format a one-star review, calling it “nearly unwatchable” and a “disjointed patchwork” of basketball and entertainment. He pointed to Cade Cunningham, who only got to play five minutes in his first All-Star appearance because of the shortened games. Beard suggests dividing the All-Stars into three eight-player teams and putting them into a round robin competition.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Iguodala, Oakland Arena, Green

February 16th, 2025 at 4:28pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With the Warriors slated to retire the No. 9 jersey of former four-time champ Andre Iguodala next weekend, All-Star point Stephen Curry recently looked back on the role his former teammate played on those four title squads, writes Grant Afseth of RG.org.

Iguodala spent eight seasons with Golden State, earning NBA Finals MVP in 2015 thanks to his clampdown defense of then-Cleveland forward LeBron James. He averaged 6.9 points, 3.8 boards, and 3.4 assists in his 452 regular season games for the Warriors.

“I speak for both of us [Draymond Green and himself] when we talk about honor. It’s going to be fantastic for the entire organization to welcome my brother back,” Curry told Afseth. “He helped us win a lot of championships.”

Iguodala’s jersey retirement ceremony will take place on February 23, the day of a matinee tilt against Dallas. That means longtime Warriors champ Klay Thompson, who signed with the Mavericks as a free agent last summer, will also be on hand for the big moment.

“His IQ, his impact on the game,” Curry said. “We obviously don’t win those without him.”

There’s more out of Golden State:

Curry was back at the site of many of those titles, Oakland Arena (formerly Oracle Arena), for his All-Star media obligations on Saturday. Curry suggested that he’d be open to returning to Oakland Arena for an encore appearance in the future, per Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. “I absolutely love the idea of coming back to play a game here,” Curry said. “It should be a regular season game.”
Green, another core member of the Warriors’ championship teams, offered up some harsh criticism of the league at large this week, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “It’s just who can run faster, who can hit more threes, it’s no substance,” Green said. “I think it’s very boring.”
In case you missed it, the Warriors plan to sign former lottery pick forward Kevin Knox to a 10-day deal.

Pacific Notes: Butler, Simmons, Bogdanovic, Ellis

February 14th, 2025 at 8:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Draymond Green called new teammate Jimmy Butler a “franchise changer” after the Warriors withstood a late Rockets rally in Thursday’s win at Houston, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Golden State, which led by as many as 24 points, was only ahead by four when Butler returned to the game with 4:42 remaining. He helped lead a 9-2 run that gave the Warriors a much-needed win heading into the All-Star break.

“He’s a franchise changer,” Green said. “He’s done that everywhere he’s gone and he is helping revitalize what we got here. The belief amongst this team, now that he’s arrived, as opposed to what it was before he got here, it’s night and day.”

Butler was the team’s major addition at last week’s trade deadline after a long search to find another scorer to take some of the burden off Stephen Curry. He contributed 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists on Thursday, as Golden State is now 3-1 in the four games he has played and looks ready to move up the standings after the break ends.

“Jimmy, he’s a real deal,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I mean, just a complete basketball player, methodical, under control all the time, plays at his own pace, never turns it over, sees the game and then can get to the line frequently. Great closer, not in the traditional sense where he’s going to be Kevin Durant and make four straight mid-range jumpers, but it’s more of a complete game. Get to the line, make the right pass, get somebody else an open look, get a defensive stop, get a rebound. He’s a fantastic player.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Ben Simmons had an impressive debut with the Clippers in Thursday’s win at Utah, delivering 12 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals in 27 minutes off the bench. Coach Tyronn Lue praised the former All-Star for fitting in quickly in his first game with his new team, relays Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter video link). “I thought he did a great job, just reading the game, his IQ, making the right play, aggressive to the basket,” Lue said.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, who was acquired in a trade with Atlanta, made his Clippers debut on Wednesday, per Anthony DeLeon of The Orange County Register. The veteran shooter described the experience as “a new journey” and said he’s excited to play alongside Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
Keon Ellis has played an important role in the Kings‘ recent surge, notes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. The third-year guard scored 27 points off the bench in Wednesday’s win over New Orleans.

Warriors Notes: Butler, Looney, Older Players

February 9th, 2025 at 3:22pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Speaking this week to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Warriors center Kevon Looney reflected on Golden State’s decision to acquire six-time All-Star forward Jimmy Butler in a five-team blockbuster trade.

“He’s great wherever he has been,” Looney said of Butler. “Individually, he has a way of elevating the group. He’s able to elevate guys that you wouldn’t think are great because they play well next to him. I’m excited to play with him and see how he is and get to experience it. I know that he’s tough as nails. I love playing with guys like that. I’m excited to see how it goes.”

In Butler’s debut as a Warrior on Saturday, the 6’7″ swingman helped propel his new club to a road win against Chicago, racking up 25 points to go along with four assists. He shot 7-of-12 from the floor and made 11-of-13 attempts from the foul line, an encouraging sign for a Golden State team that ranked dead last entering Saturday in free throw makes per game (14.7) and free throw percentage (72.0%).

“This was probably the most eventful trade deadline that I’ve been in from the standpoint of things going on around the league and internally,” Looney said. “Since I’ve been here, we haven’t really made a lot of trades. So to be involved in it was surreal.”

There’s more out of Golden State:

Warriors players were impressed by what they saw from Butler on Friday, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Head coach Steve Kerr is looking to occasionally stagger the minutes of Butler and Curry with an eye on keeping a star scorer on the floor at all times. Following a superlative 24-point third quarter in which he was played all 12 minutes, All-NBA guard Stephen Curry was rested for the first several minutes of the fourth. Butler helped stabilize Golden State in his absence. Kerr specifically praised Butler’s attitude after the game. “That’s kind of the key, to me,” Kerr said. “It’s the swagger that he gives us. He gives confidence to the rest of the group, including Steph and Draymond [Green], and that’s important. When all those guys are feeling empowered and confident, you feel the difference. … This is the whole point of the deal, to inject that confidence and presence Jimmy brings.”
The Warriors’ new core features three Hall of Famers in their mid-30s: Curry (36), Butler (35), and Green (34). With $287MM owed to those players after this season, Golden State has the most money committed to players in their age-35 seasons and beyond, observes Frank Urbina of HoopsHype. Green will turn 35 in March.
In case you missed it, Butler’s tumultuous last weeks with Miami were recently detailed in full.

Warriors Execs, Players Address Jimmy Butler Acquisition

February 8th, 2025 at 8:13am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Warriors made a bold move at the deadline in acquiring six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler, consolidating four players to bring him in and change the makeup of the roster. In a media session ahead of Golden State’s game in Los Angeles on Thursday, members of the Warriors and Butler himself discussed the move.

“I’ve always loved him,” owner Joe Lacob told The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “I love Draymond [Green]. So we’re dealing with something similar. Incredible competitiveness. My kind of guy.”

The Suns were considered the top suitor for Butler for weeks, with reports repeatedly citing strong mutual interest between the two sides. Phoenix was considered to be the team most willing to pay Butler the maximum-salary extension he sought, and the star forward liked the idea of a future playing alongside Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.

However, Bradley Beal‘s contract – which includes a no-trade clause – proved too difficult to move and thus, Butler wound up in Golden State and Durant stayed put in Phoenix.

“[Butler] was trying to get where he thought he wanted to go,” Lacob said. “He just happened to be thinking incorrectly at the time. That’s now been amended.”

Given their reported desire to make a change to the roster, the Suns even engaged in talks about the idea of a trade that would have sent Durant either Golden State or Miami. However, Durant was uninterested in a reunion with Golden State, which prompted the Warriors to pivot to pursuing Butler.

Green, who played with Durant from 2016-19, downplayed Durant’s reported unwillingness to reunite forces, according to Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina. “Didn’t affect my life one bit,” Green said.

“When you walk on the court and you look on the other end and you see guys that you respect, half the battle is fought,” Green said of the Warriors trading for Butler. “And with Jimmy, that’s half the battle. So that’s going to be fun because we can compete at the highest level.”

Warriors players, including Green, seemed grateful that Golden State’s front office made a move that makes them more competitive this year after the team slid out of the playoff field over the course of the last couple months. Tied with the Kings but sitting in 11th, the Warriors have the final two months of the season to climb into the postseason.

“We’re going in a direction,” general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said. “We have three kind-of-older generational players. But the beauty of the whole thing to me is we’ve got a lot of good complementary pieces. We’ve got assets, we’ve got young players. So in some ways in terms of our financial stuff, there’s a commitment. But on the whole, we’ll have a lot of flexibility.”

The Warriors explored other moves leading up to the deadline, according to Slater, but they value what veterans on expiring contracts like Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II bring to the locker room.

The rest of the Warriors’ season will also be about replenishing their roster after they were left with four open spots on their 15-man roster. They filled one of those by converting center Quinten Post to a standard deal and Santa Cruz Warrior Kevin Knox could be another consideration, per Slater.

Dunleavy and Lacob both applauded one another for their willingness to be aggressive. This move allowed them to add a star player without sacrificing the likes of Brandin Podziemski or Jonathan Kuminga. According to Slater, the Warriors will be able to reassess in the summer and still be in position to make another big move at that point if they see fit.

As for Butler, he expressed excitement about having the chance to play alongside the best shooter in the world in Stephen Curry, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. He’s hoping to make his Warriors debut on Saturday against the Bulls.

“I got a feeling I’m [going to] be back, in a big way, too,” he said. “So I’m smiling. I’ve been going at it, I’ve been training, I’ve been doing everything I’m supposed to be doing. I know that I have my joy back now. I’m in a different situation, different group of guys.”

Butler himself was a big winner of the deadline, finding a team willing to pay him big money in a CBA landscape that makes teams have to be more conscious with how they allocate their finances. He and his new team reportedly agreed to a two-year, maximum-salary extension projected to be worth $111MM.

“I’m not going to say that was a big part,” Butler said of his contract playing into his exit from Miami and the new one he received from Golden State. “But I’m happy about it. I am happy about it. I think the biggest part was getting me to be able to play basketball again. I just want to be able to go out there and do what I’ve been doing for a very long time. And have fun, smile, rip and run and not feel like I’m just doing cardio majority of the game. So I’m very, very, very happy that I’m not getting suspended no more.”

NBA Announces Three-Point Contest, Skills Challenge Participants

February 7th, 2025 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has officially announced the participants for the All-Star Saturday festivities in San Francisco on February 15, revealing today (via Twitter) which players will compete in the three-point contest and the skills challenge. Here are the details:

Three-Point Contest:

Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
Darius Garland (Cavaliers)
Tyler Herro (Heat)
Buddy Hield (Warriors)
Cameron Johnson (Nets)
Damian Lillard (Bucks)
Norman Powell (Clippers)

Among this year’s participants, Powell (43.1%), Garland (42.9%), and Johnson (41.7%) have been the most accurate three-point shooters so far this season, while Herro (39.3% on 9.7 attempts per game) has been the most prolific.

Lillard won the event in both 2023 and 2024 and will be looking to become the first player since Craig Hodges in 1992 to claim the three-point title for a third consecutive year. Larry Bird was also a three-time winner, having achieved the feat in the first three years the NBA held the event (1986-88).

Hield is the only other player in this year’s field to have won the contest before, having done so in 2020. The Warriors wing will be the home team’s representative next Saturday.

Skills Challenge:

Team Cavs: Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley
Team Rooks: Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks) and Alex Sarr (Wizards)
Team Spurs: Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama
Team Warriors: Draymond Green and Moses Moody

It appears the NBA will be tweaking the format of the skills challenge again in 2025, with the event set to feature four teams of two players apiece instead of three players per team.

Mobley was part of the Cavs team that won the event in 2022, along with Jarrett Allen and Garland. He’ll be teaming up with Mitchell this time around.

The NBA also officially confirmed the participants of the dunk contest earlier this week (Twitter link). Those four players, who had been previously reported, are Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis, Spurs rookie Stephon Castle, Bucks guard Andre Jackson, and Magic two-way guard Mac McClung.

Like Lillard in the three-point contest, McClung will be looking to three-peat in his event next Saturday night.

Load More Posts