Don’t be surprised if Nets forward Yuta Watanabe is in this year’s 3-Point Contest.
Watanabe didn’t come into the 2022-23 season with much of a reputation as a shooter, but he’s quickly proven himself to be a marksman from beyond the arc. Through 21 games with the Nets, he’s 34-for-63 from the 3-point line, giving him the best 3-point percentage (54.0) in the NBA.
Watanabe has been particularly proficient from the corners. He’s among the league leaders in makes from both the right and left corners while connecting on those attempts at a combined 68.6 percent clip.
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The secret to Watanabe’s newfound success as a 3-point shooter? As The Sporting News’ Steph Noh detailed earlier in the season, he has sped up his release considerably since his rookie season by using a 1-2 step instead of hopping when he gathers the ball and not dropping the ball down to his thighs on the catch. The results speak for themselves.
We’re still more than a month away from All-Star Weekend, but Watanabe’s development into a knockdown shooter gives him a strong case to be one of the eight participants in the 3-Point Contest. And if he does get the call from the league office, it sounds like he’ll be thrilled.
“It would be an honor,” Watanabe told HoopsHype when asked about the possibility of being selected.
The 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend will be held between Feb. 17-19 in Salt Lake City. The 3-Point Content will take place alongside the Skills Challenge and Slam Dunk Contest on All-Star Saturday Night, with the 2023 NBA All-Star Game to follow on Sunday.
In his first season with the Nets, Watanabe is averaging a career-high 8.0 points to go along with 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.
