If you haven't seen this year's line-up for this year's Three-Point Shootout, here it is:
Kobe Bryant
Daniel Gibson
Jason Kapono
Richard Hamilton
Steve Nash
Peja Stojakovic
First of all, holy crap. That's a star studded list of contestants.
However, there are some people on this list that I don't think belong. The Three-Point Shootout is different from shooting three pointers in a game. It favors taller, stronger shooters with a quick release (Say goodbye to Nash and Gibson. This is also why Gilbert Arenas, who notoriously hit 73/100 college three pointers with one hand in a contest with Deshawn Stevenson faded out in the first round.). The players need to be accustomed to the catch-and-shoot style rather tan off the dribble (This was Chauncey Billups' downfall a couple years ago and now will take out Rip Hamilton as well).
The only real viable contestants are Kobe, two-time winner Peja Stojakovic, and last year's winner Jason Kapono (who I picked correctly to win, along with Gerald Green).
Now you might be wondering, how does Kobe fit into this? He's not particularly tall, he shoots off the dribble, and I can't say much about his release except for that watching him shoot makes it look like he gets a bit of hangtime. What he does have, though, is that killer instinct, the ability to hit any shot he wants to make sure he wins.
My money is on Peja to win this, but despite what I said earlier, it's really anyone's race.
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