J.J. Redick Wants Spot in All-Star Weekend 3-Point Shootout

Filed under: Magic

ORLANDO -- J.J. Redick has used the last four seasons to prove he belongs in the NBA, improving in every phase of the game, going well beyond the reputation he earned at Duke as one of the finest long-range shooters in college basketball history.



Now he wants to retrace his steps and remind everyone again just how good a shooter he is.



He wants a spot in the NBA's 3-Point Shootout at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.



"Absolutely, I'd love to do it. I'd love to be in it. You know, I've never lost a 3-point competition,'' he told FanHouse Thursday after the Magic beat the New York Knicks. "So I think I'd do pretty well.''



Redick never has been part of the NBA competition, even though he left Duke as the NCAA record holder for most 3-point shots made (457) in a career.



Most of his time in the NBA has been spent improving his defense, his ball-handling and his ability to mesh as a role player on a team built around center Dwight Howard.



Redick is shooting 43 percent from 3-point range this season, just 18th in the NBA. Yet he has been considerably better in recent weeks. Since a slow start when he made just four of his first 28 3-point attempts, he has shot 54.2 percent (39 of 72) from long range in his last 17 games, rediscovering his stroke.



Boston's Paul Pierce won the 3-point Shootout last season, beating Chauncey Billups, Daequan Cook, Stephen Curry, Channing Frye and Danilo Gallinari.



Redick is averaging a career high 10.1 points and a career high 25 minutes per game. Even after the Magic restructured their roster by adding Jason Richardson, Gilbert Arenas and Hedo Turkoglu, Redick has remained solidly in coach Stan Van Gundy's playing rotation. He was the only Magic player to play all 12 minutes in the fourth quarter Thursday. He still doesn't start very often, but he has become a finisher.



"If they call me, I'd love to go. My understanding is they want to invite people who already are going to be there (at All-Star Weekend). And right now, I don't plan on going,'' he said. "But if they call, I'd go.''

 

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Full story at http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/31/j-j-redick-wants-spot-in-all-star-weekend-3-point-shootout/