The NBA 3-Point Contest has become one of the marquee attractions of the All-Star Weekend as the league’s sharpest shooters go head-to-head to determine who’s the finest between them. Milwaukee Bucks superstar Damian Lillard took home the trophy this year after an exceptional performance in both rounds. The first round was hotly contested, with four of the eight competitors scoring 26 points. Tyrese Haliburton, one of the four participants with 26 points, was eliminated after the 30-second tiebreaker, leaving Lillard, Karl Anthony-Towns, and Trae Young to compete for the trophy. In the final round, the Bucks guard finished first with 26 points, while Young came in second with 24 and KAT finished third with 22.
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Not every participant could bring their A-game to the 3-Point contest. New York Knicks‘ Jalen Brunson and Cleveland Cavaliers‘ Donovan Mitchell finished in the bottom three with 24 and 21 points respectively.
Meanwhile, after the first round, the Knicks guard needled the Cavaliers star on X (formerly called Twitter) posting,
“I’m a failure, @spidadmitchell”
This was probably indicative of something Mitchell had said to him. After the contest, Brunson approached Mitchell in the locker room and repeated the statement, which prompted the Cavaliers star to respond,
“I was having a great time until you showed the f**k up…I didn’t say you was a failure. I got less than you…We’re both a failure.”
The Knicks star pushed the Cavs guard to admit that he was a failure, and he almost did it. The hilarious banter between the two managed to amuse fans. Some even predicted that the brilliant chemistry between the two could prompt them to team up in the future.
However, that’s unlikely to happen in the near future. Both Brunson and Mitchell are the centerpieces of two very good Eastern Conference teams. Them teaming up is very unlikely this season, especially after the conclusion of the trade deadline. But the whole interaction between them was hilarious, as both refused to give up on getting what they wanted.
Will Donovan Mitchell become a New York Knick?
Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson have been friends for close to a decade. When rumors about the Knicks potentially trading for the Cavs star emerged in August 2023, he said,
“There (are) always possibilities when you hear about that stuff. Donovan [has been] a good friend of mine for a while. We were in the same high school class, our relationship goes back a long way. I think right now, I’m more than happy with my guys, and I love my teammates.”
The Knicks were among the finalists to land Mitchell from the Utah Jazz in 2022, but he was eventually traded to the Cavaliers. The 2024-25 season could be his final year under contract in Cleveland. He has a player option for the final year of his deal, and he’s expected to opt out and sign a massive extension with a team of his liking.
Mitchell is reportedly uninterested in extending his stay with the Cavaliers beyond 2025. That leaves the franchise with no option but to trade him in the upcoming offseason. The Knicks could finally land the All-Star guard and pair him with his long-time friend in the backcourt in New York.
