Steph or Yuta in 3-point contest? KD gives perfect answer originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Kevin Durant has massive respect for Steph Curry‘s incredible 3-point shooting ability.
When asked by reporters who would win in a 3-point contest between Curry and his Brooklyn Nets teammate Yuta Watanabe, Durant initially said that he would win.
However, when told that he could not participate, the 34-year-old made his answer clear.
“The “God” Steph, of course, but Yuta is definitely knocking it down right now,” Durant told reporters following the Nets’ 127-115 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday at Barclays Center. “He’s shooting the ball extremely well for us, spacing the floor, but he’s also driving the ball when he’s catching, he’s making the right play right now.
“When you make the right play, then those shots feel a little better leaving your hand.”
While Curry’s 3-point shooting ability has been well-documented, Watanabe is perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the 2022-23 NBA season, regarding his ability to hit from beyond the arc.
The 6-foot-8 forward currently leads the NBA in 3-point shooting, hitting a blistering 57.1 percent from 3-point land, on 1.9 attempts per game. Before this season, Watanabe showed a propensity to hit open 3-pointers, nailing them at a 35-percent clip in his career.
Meanwhile, Curry is 18th in the league at 44.7 percent on 11.8 attempts per game, continuing to defy Father Time in more ways than one.
So far, Curry has attempted 188 3-pointers and his 44.7 percent conversion rate is the third-highest among players with 100 or more attempts, behind Desmond Bane (45.1 percent on 102 attempts) and Kevin Huerter (49.5 percent on 111 attempts).
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It’s highly unlikely Watanabe will be able to keep up his torrid pace from beyond the arc as the season soldiers on.
However, it has to be nice for the undrafted forward to be in the same conversation as the greatest 3-point shooter of all time, even if his teammate sees him losing in a 3-point contest.
