The Ultimate Ranking of the 3 Points NBA All Time Leaders and Records

2025-10-30 01:15

As I was digging through NBA archives last week, I found myself completely fascinated by the evolution of three-point shooting. Having watched basketball evolve from the post-dominated 90s to today's perimeter-oriented game, I've developed what some might call an unhealthy obsession with tracking three-point records. Let me share with you what I consider the ultimate ranking of the 3-point all-time leaders and records - and trust me, some of these numbers will absolutely blow your mind.

When we talk about three-point royalty, we have to start with the undisputed king - Stephen Curry. I remember watching his 402 three-pointer season in 2015-16 and thinking nobody would ever touch that record. The man has revolutionized how teams approach spacing and shot selection. Currently sitting at 3,390 career threes and counting, Curry isn't just breaking records - he's creating entirely new benchmarks that future generations will struggle to reach. What makes his achievement even more remarkable is the degree of difficulty on his shots; he's taking - and making - attempts that coaches would have benched players for even attempting a decade ago.

Ray Allen's 2,973 career threes held up as the gold standard for years, and honestly, I still get chills remembering his corner three in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals. The man was pure poetry in motion, with that picture-perfect form that never seemed to vary regardless of the situation. Meanwhile, Reggie Miller's 2,560 threes stood for so long because he mastered the art of moving without the ball in ways that modern analytics would probably classify as inefficient, yet incredibly effective. Watching Miller weave through screens was like watching a skilled dancer - he had this uncanny ability to create separation when there seemingly was none.

Now here's where it gets really interesting for me personally - the single-game record of 14 threes by Klay Thompson against Chicago in 2018. I was actually at that game, and by the eighth three, you could feel something special happening. The stadium had that electric buzz where everyone knows they're witnessing history. Thompson finished 14-of-24 from deep that night, which is just absurd when you think about it - most teams would be thrilled with 14 threes as a team total. What people forget is that he did it in just 27 minutes of play before being subbed out with the game well in hand.

The team records tell another fascinating story. The 2018-19 Houston Rockets attempted 3,721 threes - a number that would have been unimaginable even five years earlier. They basically turned basketball into a probability equation, sacrificing mid-range game entirely for either layups or threes. I've had arguments with traditionalists who hate this style, but you can't argue with the math - though I will admit sometimes it makes for less aesthetically pleasing basketball when teams go cold from deep.

This reminds me of something Cone mentioned about roster decisions - how timing and player health can completely change team composition. In the NBA context, we're seeing this play out with how teams construct their rosters around three-point shooting. The evolution has been so rapid that players who can't shoot from distance are finding their roles diminishing unless they bring other elite skills to the table. Just like how Gilas roster decisions depend on timing and player availability, NBA teams constantly recalibrate their lineups based on who can space the floor effectively.

Looking ahead, I'm convinced we haven't seen the ceiling yet for three-point shooting. The next generation coming up through AAU and college systems are being taught to shoot from NBA range as teenagers. While Curry's career record might stand for a while, I wouldn't be surprised to see someone challenge Thompson's single-game record within the next couple of seasons. The game continues to evolve at a breathtaking pace, and the three-point line - once considered a gimmick - has become the great equalizer that defines modern basketball strategy. What fascinates me most is wondering which current record will be the next to fall, and which young shooter will emerge to push the boundaries even further.