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Damian Lillard gives hilarious answer on Devin Booker' final round: 'I was praying on his downfall'

Danby: Daniel Hager02/14/26DanielHagerOn3

In what was one of the most exciting NBA 3-Point contests in recent memory, Nine-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard held off five-time NBA All-Star Devin Booker and rookie Kon Knueppel to win the third 3-Point contest of his Hall of Fame career. He becomes the third player to ever win the contest three times, joining Larry Bird and Craig Hodges.

The event came down to Lillard and Booker in the Championship Round. After Knueppel disappointed with just 17 points, Lillard (who hasn’t played this season) scored a whopping 29 points. This mark tied for the most in Championship Round history (Karl-Anthony Towns in 2022). It appeared as if Booker would break this record, as he hit a corner three to reach 27 points with three balls remaining. However, the Kentucky alum failed to hit another shot and lost the event.

Following the contest, Lillard hilariously revealed he was ‘praying on (Booker’s) downfall’.

“I was praying on his downfall,” Lillard said with a smile. “Coming in, I said ‘I could see it being me and Book and Kon in the end’. I knew it would be stiff competition, and (Booker) was in position. It took a couple of shots to rattle out, but that’s how it goes sometimes.”

Damian Lillard returned to Portland this offseason

The win serves as a season highlight for Lillard, who is out for the entire season as he rehabs a torn Achilles tendon. He returned to Portland this offseason after a two-year absence, signing a three-year, $42 million deal with the Blazers.

“I think you’ve just go to let the ball fly. You’ve got to trust your instincts as a shooter and you can’t be rattled when someone else gets hot or when the crowd is getting loud or whoever you see in the crowd,” Lillard said. “You’ve just got to shoot and do you. That’s what I show up and do.”

Across his Hall of Fame career, Lillard has been named a nine-time NBA All-Star, a seven-time All-NBA selection, and the 2024 NBA All-Star Game MVP. He was named to the ‘NBA 75’, which highlighted the top-75 players in the history of the NBA. He continues to add to his trophy case with another 3-Point Contest victory.