The NBA has confirmed a notable addition to the 2026 All-Star festivities. Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, sidelined for the entire 2025–26 season with a torn Achilles tendon, will participate in the State Farm 3-Point Contest on Saturday, February 14.
This marks Lillard’s return to competitive shooting in front of fans since his injury occurred last spring while with the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks subsequently waived and stretched the remaining $113 million on his contract, allowing him to re-sign with Portland, where he began his career.
Competitive field features past winners and All-Stars
Lillard joins a talented eight-player lineup for the contest, held at the Intuit Dome, home of the LA Clippers in Inglewood, California. The participants include:
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), 2018 champion
Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
Tyrese Maxey(Philadelphia 76ers)
Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Jamal Murray(Denver Nuggets)
Bobby Portis Jr. (Milwaukee Bucks)
Norman Powell (Miami Heat)
Five contestants, Booker, Maxey, Mitchell, Murray, and Powell, are selected as 2026 NBA All-Stars. Lillard and Booker are the only previous winners in the group. A win for Lillard would make him the third player in history to claim three titles, joining legends Larry Bird and Craig Hodges.
Lillard secured consecutive victories in 2023 and 2024. The defending champion, Miami’s Tyler Herro, is absent this year due to his own injury issues.
Adjusted schedule and format for All-Star Saturday
In a departure from recent years, the 3-Point Contest opens All-Star Saturday at 5 PM ET, broadcast on NBC and Peacock. The Shooting Stars competition and the Slam Dunk Contest will follow it. The Skills Challenge has been omitted for 2026.
This scheduling places the long-range shooting event first, building early excitement for the evening. Lillard’s involvement is noteworthy, as he has not attempted a regular-season three-pointer this year. A historical parallel exists: in 1989, the league invited Lithuania’s Rimas Kurtinaitis, who had no prior NBA experience.
Lillard’s legacy and Portland reunion
Selected sixth overall by the Trail Blazers in the 2012 NBA Draft, Lillard spent 11 seasons in Portland before a trade to Milwaukee ahead of the 2023–24 season. His return to the Blazers this year, even limited to this showcase, provides a meaningful moment for the franchise and its supporters.
At 35, Lillard aims to demonstrate his enduring shooting prowess despite rehabilitation challenges. The event offers fans a glimpse of “Dame Time” in a competitive setting, heightening anticipation for what could be a record-setting performance.
