Bobby Portis comments on competing in his first-ever three-point contest during All-Star weekend.
The NBA three-point contest is loaded with stars as Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, and Jamal Murray are all scheduled to participate.
Fellow All-Stars Tyrese Maxey and Norman Powell will also be part of the competition, and rookie sensation Kon Knueppel will be part of the field.
Even Damian Lillard, who won't play this season due to an Achilles injury, will suit up to compete in the contest.
Bobby Portis of the Milwaukee Bucks might be the least heralded of the bunch, not even averaging 15 points per game, but he has the best shooting percentage of anyone in the competition, knocking down 45% of his threes on the year.
Bobby Portis Speaks
Speaking to the NBA on Prime crew, Portis said about the competition, "I gotta hold it down for the bigs."
He said that he was excited to participate in his first All-Star Saturday and that it was a dream come true for him. He also said he's been wanting to participate for a couple of years.
Portis might not have the volume of three-point attempts as other players, but he has been one of the most efficient shooters in the league, especially for his size and position. He shot 36% from three last season and 40% from three two years ago.
He hasn't shot under 36% from beyond the arc since he joined the Bucks in 2020-21, which is when he shot a career high 47%.
Unfortunately for Portis, forwards of his size in the three-point contest don't happen often, limiting his overall opportunities.
Big Men In The Three-Point Contest
Portis is listed at 6'9'', making him by far the tallest player in the three-point contest. It would also make him taller than anyone who competed in last year's contest, where Cameron Johnson was the tallest competitor at 6'8''. Johnson tied with Norman Powell for last in the competition.
Two years ago, Karl-Anthony Towns and Lauri Markkanen held it down for the bigs, with both of them listed as over seven feet tall. Both players have competed twice in the contest, with Towns winning in 2022.
Towns not only won the competition, but he set the record for the highest score in a final round with 29 points and tied for the most shots made in a final round with 20.
Before Towns broke the mold, it had been a decade since a forward had won the shootout, as Kevin Love took him the crown in 2012.