Who Has the Most 3 Points in NBA All Time? Top Scorers Revealed

2025-10-30 01:15

As I sit here scrolling through NBA highlights, watching Steph Curry sink yet another impossible three-pointer, I can't help but reflect on how dramatically the game has changed. When I first started following basketball back in the 90s, the three-point line was almost an afterthought - something teams used occasionally rather than as their primary weapon. Today, it's the very heart of modern basketball strategy, and tracking who has the most three-pointers in NBA history feels like watching a real-time evolution of the sport unfold before our eyes.

The undisputed king of the three-ball remains Ray Allen, who retired with a staggering 2,973 made three-pointers. I remember watching him play for the Celtics and Heat, marveling at his flawless form and clutch performances. What many people don't realize is that Allen maintained remarkable consistency throughout his career, shooting around 40% from beyond the arc season after season. His record stood for years, seemingly untouchable, until a certain Golden State Warrior started heating up. Stephen Curry currently sits at 3,390 three-pointers and counting, having shattered Allen's record in 2021. Watching Curry's ascent has been one of the great pleasures of my basketball fandom - his range seems limitless, his release quicker than any human's should be, and his impact on the game transformative.

What fascinates me about these shooting legends isn't just their accuracy but their volume. Curry attempts about 11 threes per game in today's NBA, whereas Allen averaged around 5 during his prime. This shift speaks volumes about how coaching philosophies have evolved. Teams now actively seek out three-point specialists, building entire offensive systems around spacing and long-range shooting. The third spot on the all-time list belongs to James Harden with 2,818 threes, though his playing style differs significantly from the pure shooters ahead of him. Harden's step-back three has become his signature move, though I've always felt his percentage could be higher given the number of attempts he takes.

Thinking about roster composition and shooting specialists reminds me of the ongoing challenges national teams face, much like what Cone described regarding the Gilas roster. Having watched international basketball for decades, I believe the health and availability of key players can make or break a team's shooting dynamics, whether we're talking about NBA records or international competitions. When you're building a team, whether for the NBA or international play, having reliable three-point shooters has become non-negotiable. The teams that succeed are those who can balance inside presence with perimeter threats, adapting their roster based on player availability and health considerations.

Looking beyond the top three, Reggie Miller's 2,560 threes stand as a testament to his legendary career, though he's since been passed by several modern players. What impresses me about Miller's record is that he achieved it in an era that didn't prioritize the three-pointer, shooting against much more physical defenses than today's players face. Kyle Korver, who retired with 2,450 threes, represents what I consider the purest form of shooter - someone who mastered moving without the ball and required just a sliver of space to get his shot off. The current landscape suggests we'll see more movement on this list soon, with Damian Lillard and Klay Thompson both climbing rapidly.

As the game continues to evolve, I'm convinced we'll see these records become increasingly fluid. The emphasis on three-point shooting at all levels of basketball means the next generation of shooters is being developed with fundamentally different skills than players from previous eras. While some traditionalists complain about the loss of post play, I find the three-point revolution exhilarating - it has created more dramatic comebacks, more strategic complexity, and given us athletes who can shoot from distances that would have been considered impossible when I first fell in love with the game. The quest for three-point supremacy continues to reshape basketball, and I for one can't wait to see who emerges as the next great shooter to challenge these records.