Miami Heat guard Daequan Cook beat Rashard Lewis to win the 2009 NBA three-point shootout at 2009 NBA All-Star weekend. A young bench player for the Heat averaging 10.4 points on just 38.5% shooting with 41.1% from three-point range, this victory will help put Cook's name on the basketball map. Here's what he had to say after winning the contest.

Daequan Cook: It was a tough win, but a lot of focus and hard work, I pulled it off tonight against some great competitors such as Jason Kapono, the back-to-back champ.

Question: Daequan, what did it mean to you obviously to win this thing? You were sort of the underdog in this field, a lot of people question why you even made the field. To come out on top, what does that mean to you?

Daequan Cook: It means a lot. Showing that hard work pays off. How important it was for me, not just me but my team, it represents a lot. It was very important for me to win tonight.

Question: You had to hit, I think, your last four shots in that second round to tie. Did you know that? Did you think about that?

Daequan Cook: Actually, my last two racks I was actually doing the math as I was shooting. When I got to my last rack, I knew I had to have all of them to at least stay in it, to tie. It was going through my mind as I was shooting my last rack.

Question: How much of a focus was it -- for somebody if not you to knock off Jason after he won it two, three years in a row?

Daequan Cook: It was a big focus knowing he was a back-to-back champ. Like I said the last few days in the media, there was more pressure on him than anybody. So I was going in there with a lot of confidence and shooting the shots I was shooting on a daily basis. It was more pressure on him than anybody. I feel pretty good knowing I was one of the players to help knock Jason out.

Question: What did Dwayne say to you immediately after when you won it?

Daequan Cook: Dinner on me. No, I'm lying. He said "great job bringing it home." Hard work pays off.