I remember sitting in my living room watching the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend, absolutely mesmerized as Karl-Anthony Towns put on a shooting clinic that would eventually earn him the three-point contest trophy. That got me thinking - who actually owns the record for the most points in this competition's history? As someone who's followed basketball religiously since the 90s, I've seen the evolution of three-point shooting from a novelty to an essential weapon, and this contest has perfectly mirrored that transformation. The answer might surprise casual fans - it's not Steph Curry, though he came painfully close, and it's not Ray Allen either. The record belongs to a player who represents just how much this competition has changed over the decades.

Let me take you back to 1986 when Larry Bird won the very first three-point contest, scoring only 22 points in the final round. That was considered phenomenal shooting at the time! The game was completely different then - big men dominated the paint, and three-pointers were almost an afterthought. Fast forward to today, and we've got centers like Karl-Anthony Towns and Karl-Anthony Towns winning the thing. The record holder for most points in a single round is actually Devin Booker, who scored 28 points in the 2018 contest using the modern format. I was watching that night thinking he might never miss - the net barely moved as ball after ball swished through. But here's where it gets interesting - if we're talking about the old format used before 2014, the record belongs to Craig Hodges with 25 points back in 1991. This distinction matters because the current format has more money balls and two special "mountain dew" balls worth three points each, making direct comparisons across eras somewhat tricky.

What's fascinating to me is how the three-point contest has become a reflection of basketball's strategic evolution. I've noticed that players who excel in this competition often share certain traits - incredible muscle memory, the ability to perform under pressure, and that unique rhythm that separates good shooters from great ones. Watching players like Stephen Curry warm up for these events is a masterclass in consistency - every motion identical to the last. Curry actually holds the record for most total points across his appearances, which doesn't surprise me given his revolutionary impact on how the game is played. His 31 points in the 2021 final round was absolutely historic, though some purists might argue it shouldn't directly compare to earlier records due to format changes.

The importance of shooting in today's NBA reminds me of something I read recently about the Philippine basketball scene - how TNT was potentially playing without Roger Pogoy due to a hamstring injury and Kelly Williams with his sprained ankle. This situation highlights how crucial shooting has become globally - teams everywhere are desperate for players who can stretch the floor. When I see struggling teams, whether in the NBA or overseas, the common denominator is often inconsistent perimeter shooting. The three-point contest champions represent the pinnacle of this skill, and their value in actual games has never been higher.

Thinking about record holders throughout history, from Larry Bird's legendary confidence to Dirk Nowitzki's surprising victory as a seven-footer, what strikes me is how each champion brought their unique personality to the competition. My personal favorite remains Jason Kapono's back-to-back wins in 2007 and 2008 - there was something beautiful about his mechanical precision that really resonated with me. The current record holder Devin Booker represents the new generation - players who grew up practicing threes as fundamental rather than specialty shots. I suspect this record will continue to be challenged as shooting techniques improve and players start training specifically for these contest formats from younger ages.

As we look toward future competitions, I'm convinced we'll see someone break the 30-point barrier in the coming years. The way today's players approach shooting is fundamentally different - it's more scientific, more practiced, more refined. When I watch young prospects like Trae Young or Duncan Robinson shoot during warmups, I see mechanics that are optimized for both accuracy and speed in ways that previous generations never emphasized. The three-point contest has evolved from a sideshow to a main event, and the scoring records reflect basketball's ongoing revolution. What started as Larry Bird's playground has become the ultimate showcase for basketball's most transformative skill, and I can't wait to see where it goes next.