All Time 3 Pointers Made NBA: The Ultimate Ranking of Basketball's Greatest Shooters

2025-10-30 01:15

Having spent over a decade analyzing basketball statistics and shooting mechanics, I've always been fascinated by how three-point shooting has fundamentally transformed modern basketball. When I came across that remarkable performance where Cruz dropped 27 points with incredible efficiency - 9-of-12 shooting including going 4-of-5 from beyond the arc - it reminded me why we need to properly contextualize these shooting displays within the grand narrative of NBA three-point history. The evolution from specialists like Steve Kerr to volume shooters like Stephen Curry represents one of basketball's most fascinating developments.

Looking at the all-time three-point leaders list reveals so much about how the game has changed. When Ray Allen retired with 2,973 three-pointers back in 2014, many thought that record might stand for generations. Yet here we are less than a decade later with Stephen Curry not only shattering that mark but potentially pushing toward 4,000 career threes. What's truly remarkable is how Curry achieved this while maintaining exceptional efficiency - his career three-point percentage hovers around 43%, which is astounding given the degree of difficulty on many of his attempts. I've always argued that Curry's impact goes beyond mere numbers; he fundamentally changed how defenses operate across the entire league.

The statistical progression tells a compelling story. Reggie Miller, who held the record before Ray Allen, finished his career with 2,560 threes - a number that seemed astronomical at the time. Now that wouldn't even place him in the top three today. What's particularly interesting is how the list continues to evolve with contemporary players like James Harden and Damian Lillard climbing rapidly up the rankings. Harden's unique step-back three has become one of the most unstoppable moves in basketball history, while Lillard's range extends so far beyond the arc that he's essentially created what I like to call the "four-point territory" - those shots from 30 feet and beyond that demoralize defenses in ways we've never seen before.

When I analyze shooting greatness, I don't just look at raw numbers. Efficiency matters tremendously. Kyle Korver, for instance, may not have the volume of some contemporaries, but his career 43% from deep is simply phenomenal. Similarly, Klay Thompson's unique ability to catch fire - remember his 14 threes against Chicago? - represents a different kind of shooting excellence. The Cruz performance I mentioned earlier, where he hit 80% from deep, exemplifies the kind of shooting precision that can single-handedly change games.

What often gets overlooked in these discussions is how three-point shooting has evolved strategically. The mathematical reality that three is greater than two has fundamentally altered offensive schemes at every level. Teams now regularly attempt more threes than twos, something that would have been unthinkable twenty years ago. The Houston Rockets under Daryl Morey took this to its logical extreme, essentially building their entire offensive philosophy around the three-point shot and layups.

As we look toward the future, I'm convinced we'll see these records continue to fall. The next generation of shooters coming into the league demonstrates even more refined mechanics and deeper range. What excites me most is how three-point shooting has become democratized - it's no longer just for specialists but an essential skill for every position. The ultimate ranking of basketball's greatest shooters will undoubtedly look very different five years from now, and frankly, I can't wait to see how high these numbers can ultimately go. The evolution of shooting continues to be one of basketball's most thrilling narratives.