Where Did This “Extreme” Idea Come From
Question: In analytical circles, the idea of reducing the value of three-pointers by eliminating the corner shot is being voiced more and more often. How do you feel about that?
Kevin Durant: Honestly? It feels like spitting on the history of basketball. The corner three is not just a convenient spot on the floor; it’s part of the modern game’s DNA.
Laughter Through Concern: The Stars’ Reaction
LeBron James: (smiling) Imagine you catch the ball in the sweetest spot, but beyond the line there’s emptiness. You think: “Well, that’s it — pitch a tent and take a long two.” It’s like coming to a restaurant and discovering the signature dish has been removed from the menu.
Kevin Durant: Yeah, you’re in the corner, but in fact they turn you into a “dunker” — instead of stretching the defense, you have to stand guard under the rim.
A Tactical View From Steve Nash
Steve Nash: Look at advanced defensive analytics. In clutch time, teams often line up three players along the arc and two in the paint. Remove the threat of the corner three — and the whole geometry collapses: defenders comfortably shrink the line, packing the lane. You end up with gray mid-range shots with low efficiency.
What Will the Game Look Like Without This Zone
LeBron James: An era of long twos — the least efficient shot — will begin. Fans will quickly get bored: less space, fewer rapid rotations, fewer highlight moments.
Kevin Durant: Basketball is built on the constant search for advantages. The corner three is a watershed that forces the defense to make a decision. Take it away — and you erase decades of tactical evolution.
Tradition vs. Experiment: Where Is the Line
Kevin Durant: Rules should change, but organically. When the three-point line was added, the game blossomed. Now they propose to take away a working tool, and that will “destroy basketball,” no exaggeration.
LeBron James: Basketball is a theater of action. Any idea that narrows the stage for the actors impoverishes the show.
Final Chord
Analysts’ calculations matter, but the spirit of the game is shaped by players and fans. By abolishing the corner three, the league risks losing one of the most tense areas of the court, where games are decided and legendary shots are born. And while Durant, James, and Nash are saying a categorical “no,” the discussion remains theoretical — which is exactly where it belongs if the main goal is to preserve basketball’s magic.
