The Big Lead

Teenager defeats Damian Lillard in $100,000 3-point shooting contest

By Joe Lago

Feb 16, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; A fan celebrates after participating in a competition against Shaq’s OGs guard Damian Lillard (0) of the Milwaukee Bucks to win $100,000 during the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Feb 16, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; A fan celebrates after participating in a competition against Shaq’s OGs guard Damian Lillard (0) of the Milwaukee Bucks to win $100,000 during the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
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Michael Barajas felt lucky to find NBA All-Star Game tickets he could afford on the secondary market. His son's good fortune made sure the purchase was well worth the expense.

Jaren Barajas, an 18-year college student, participated in the Mr. Beast $100,000 Challenge, a 3-point shooting contest held during Sunday's newly formatted All-Star Game competition at Chase Center in San Francisco.

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To capture the grand prize, Barajas needed to make just one 3-pointer, while Lillard had to sink three long shots from the center-court logo. The 18-year-old from Oakley, a suburb about 50 miles east of San Francisco, banked in his winning 3 to set off a wild celebration.

Barajas immediately jumped into the box of money provided by Mr. Beast, a YouTube star who produces entertaining challenges and contests.

"This is surreal," Barajas told Mr. Beast on the TNT broadcast. "I can't thank anybody but my dad. And thank you for the opportunity."

According to the Associated Press, Barajas' father monitored the prices of tickets all week and waited until Saturday to buy them. On Sunday, the two arrived early at Chase Center, where Barajas, a student at Los Medanos College, was asked if he wanted to participate in the 3-point contest.

“I can’t believe we’re right here, but I’m glad I did it," Michael Barajas said of buying the last-minute tickets. "He deserves it, and I’m proud of him.”

Lillard, who said he was trying to win the contest, scored a victory for his newly established scholarship fund benefitting nine East Bay high schools with a $50,000 donation from the NBA.

“I knew that it would be a win-win situation. I knew that it would be helpful for my scholarship partnership that I just started and I knew it would be extremely helpful to someone else," Lillard said. "That's the reason I did it."

"I was just happy to see his real excitement," Lillard said of Barajas. "That’s life-changing for somebody."

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