The Three-Point Contest is also a popular event in the NBA Skills Challenge. It is officially known as the three-point field goal, and it is a shot made from beyond the three-point line. That is the arc that surrounds the basket on the court. If you make a shoot from there, you get three points. What you may not know is the three-pointer has not always been in the game. It was introduced into the game after rules were adjusted following the 1979-80 season.