Damian Lillard is making an unexpected return to the court in 2026, even if it’s not in a full game.
The Portland star, who’s been sidelined all season while rehabbing a torn Achilles, is set to compete in the 3-point contest on All-Star Saturday, the NBA confirmed.
It will be his sixth appearance in the 3PT contest.
He’ll go up against last year’s 3-point champion Devin Booker, plus Kon Knueppel (Charlotte), Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia), Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland), Jamal Murray (Denver), Bobby Portis Jr. (Milwaukee), and Norman Powell (Miami).
Mitchell leads the NBA with 180 3-pointers, five ahead of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, who is not part of the contest, but is set to participate in the All-Star Game.
If Lillard takes home the title, he’d become just the third player in history to win the event three times, joining Larry Bird and Craig Hodges, after he won the titles in 2023 and 2024.
The contest will be held in Inglewood, California, at the Clippers’ arena.
This year, the 3-point contest kicks off All-Star Saturday, followed by the return of the Shooting Stars event (making a return after an 11-year hiatus) and then the dunk contest.
The skills challenge won’t be part of the lineup this time.
For Lillard, this will mark his first time shooting in front of fans since returning to Portland.
Fans had some hilarious reactions on social media to Dame’s inclusion.
DAMIAN LILLARD https://t.co/qkGyTcjDyT pic.twitter.com/TBYr8asa8U
— The Riq says (@WHERESMALTVEGAS) February 8, 2026
Damian Lillard making an appearance without clocking in a single minute this season https://t.co/MVp94r5VdW pic.twitter.com/U9W2rLUNde
— devo🫶 #EGE (@devo4TG) February 8, 2026
hold up does that say Damian Lillard pic.twitter.com/N30hsCHT3b
— Holden Snodgrass (@SnodgrassHolden) February 8, 2026
He suffered the Achilles injury last spring while with the Bucks, who later waived him and stretched out his remaining $113 million contract to let him re-sign with Portland.
Interestingly, he’s not the first player to compete in the 3-point contest without hitting a 3-pointer in that season – back in 1989, Lithuania’s Rimas Kurtinaitis took part despite never playing in the NBA.
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