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When Craig Hodges made 19 straight shots in the Three-Point Contest
Craig Hodges may be one of the most prolific three-point shooters you might not have heard of. A 6-foot-2 guard from Illinois, Hodges played for the Chicago Bulls for four seasons and won two NBA titles—in 1991 and 1992—functioning as a release valve for the team’s all-star players, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. He also made history during his time in the league during the 1991 NBA All-Star Festivities, namely the three-point contest.
19 straight threes
Hodges won the annual Three-Point Shooting Contest during the All-Star Weekend three times—in 1990, 1991, and 1992. He holds the record of being tied for most victories in this contest with the great Larry Bird. However, he is most famous for the record that he accomplished during the 1991 edition of the contest.
He drilled an incredible 19 threes in a row to win the contest, setting a record that still stands today. The NBA previously used the 30-point format and Hodges is tied with Jason Kapono for the most points scored in this specific format with 25.
Competed in the 1993 contest despite not having a team
After being waived by the Bulls after the 1991-92 season, Hodges found himself without a team. However, that did not stop him from participating in the 1993 Three-Point Contest. He was granted a special invitation to take part in the event by then-NBA Commissioner David Stern and, even though he hadn’t played an NBA game all season, Hodges managed to put on an impressive performance, reaching the semifinals before getting eliminated by the eventual champion Mark Price and runner-up Terry Porter.
It was a curious competition for Hodge who wore a generic NBA jersey during the contest instead of a team jersey. Still, he managed to show the world why he was one of the top three-point shooters in the league and why his record from 1991 still stands today.
