Bulls guard Zach LaVine wasn’t kidding when he said last week that his days in the NBA dunk contest were behind him.
LaVine, a first-time All-Star, will be a second-time contestant in the three-point shootout at All-Star Weekend in Atlanta. The field was announced Tuesday.
Joining LaVine will be the Warriors’ Stephen Curry, the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Suns’ Devin Booker and the Jazz’s Donovan Mitchell.
The big difference from previous years is that because of coronavirus restrictions, the three-point contest will take place Sunday — the same day as the All-Star Game.
LaVine competed in the three-point contest last year, when All-Star Weekend was in Chicago, and finished fourth. Unfortunately for him, only the top three advanced to the final round. The Kings’ Buddy Hield eventually won it.
LaVine’s big error in that contest was putting the money balls in the middle rack, despite being a better three-point shooter from the corner.
‘‘If I could have changed [the three-point contest] around, I would have put the money balls in the corner,’’ LaVine said of his mistake last year. ‘‘I’m pissed. I wanted to bring that trophy home.’’
LaVine would make history if he does bring it home. He would be the first player in NBA history to win the slam-dunk and three-point titles. Such a feat would continue to open eyes to the evolution of his game — an evolution that sees him shooting a career-best 43.3% from three-point range this season.
