In the NBA context, “Starry balls” are special long-distance basketballs used in the Starry-branded 3-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend, placed well behind the regular three-point line and worth extra points when made.

Quick Scoop: What are Starry balls in the NBA?

Starry is a lemon-lime soda brand that has sponsored the NBA’s 3-Point Contest in recent All-Star Weekends. As part of that sponsorship, the league introduced two special Starry basketballs in the contest, often called “Starry balls.”

How they work in the 3-Point Contest

  • There are two Starry balls in each round of the contest.
  • They are placed on individual pedestals (“Starry range”) several feet behind the normal three‑point line, roughly around 29–30 feet from the basket.
  • Each Starry ball is worth three points if made, more than a regular ball (1 point) and a money ball (2 points).
  • Because of the extra value, hitting both Starry balls can swing a player’s total score quickly, especially if they also do well on their money-ball rack.

In 2024 and other recent years, official rules describe the round as using regular game balls, money balls, and two high-value Starry balls, all under the “Starry 3-Point Contest” banner. These aren’t used in normal NBA games; they’re a sponsored gimmick specific to All-Star Weekend’s 3-point event.

In forum and social media discussion, when people say “Starry balls” or “those Starry balls in the NBA,” they’re almost always talking about these deep, three-point-contest shots from “Starry range” that are worth extra points, not a different game ball for regular NBA play.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.