I still remember watching the 2022 NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest with that special blend of anticipation and skepticism that only comes when you've followed basketball long enough to know how unpredictable these shooting exhibitions can be. The atmosphere felt electric that night in Cleveland, though I must admit part of me wondered if we'd see another relatively straightforward victory like we had in previous years. What unfolded instead was one of the most dominant performances in the contest's recent history, with Karl-Anthony Towns not just winning but completely redefining what we expect from big men in shooting competitions.
When Karl-Anthony Towns stepped onto that court, I'll be honest - I had my doubts despite his regular season three-point percentage sitting at around 40%. We've seen plenty of good regular season shooters crumble under the unique pressure of the All-Star stage. But what Towns demonstrated wasn't just good shooting - it was systematic dismantling of the competition. His final round score of 29 points tied the second-highest in contest history, just two points shy of the legendary 31-point performance by Stephen Curry in 2021. The way he moved through the stations reminded me of that beautiful basketball philosophy Tiongco once described: "from first to fourth, nakuha ko na lalo na nung third quarter on how we shared the ball hanggang nakalamang kami ng 31." Towns approached each rack with that same progressive mastery, building momentum through the early stations before absolutely exploding in the money ball racks.
What truly separated Towns from the field that night was his combination of size and shooting rhythm - something I've rarely seen in my years covering the NBA. Standing at 7 feet, he created a shooting form that seemed almost unstoppable, his release point so high that the contest almost felt unfair at moments. He finished the final round making 19 of his 25 shots, including a perfect 5-for-5 on the money ball rack in the top corner. That specific rack demonstrated what separates champions from participants - when the pressure mounts, true shooters find another gear. The numbers tell part of the story, but watching him methodically work through each station with that calm, almost serene focus showed a player completely in command of his craft.
I've always believed that the great shooters have this unique ability to enter what athletes call "the zone," and Towns displayed that throughout the competition. His performance wasn't just about making shots - it was about controlling the tempo, the space, and ultimately the outcome. The way he built momentum through the contest reminded me of how championship teams develop rhythm throughout a game, much like Tiongco's observation about sharing the ball leading to a 31-point advantage. Towns didn't just win the 2022 3-Point Contest - he gave us a masterclass in shooting efficiency and competitive composure that I believe will influence how big men approach their shooting development for years to come.