What Is the Average 3-Point Percentage in the NBA?

The average three-point percentage in the NBA fluctuates from year to year, but it typically hovers around 35%. This means that if a player takes 10 three-point shots, they can expect to make approximately 3.5 of them.

Of course, there are always outliers who perform above or below the average. For example, Steph Curry has a career three-point percentage of 43.5%, while Shaquille O’Neal’s is a

NBA History

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the premier men’s professional basketball league in the world. It was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The league adopted its current name in 1949 after merging with the National Basketball League (NBL). The NBA is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB), which is recognized by FIBA (also known as the International Basketball Federation) as the national governing body for basketball in the United States.

Three-point field goal introduced

In the 1979–80 season, the NBA introduced the three-point field goal. A player shooting from beyond the three-point arc scores three points rather than the two points attained by shooting from inside the arc. The distance from the basket increases as you move away from the hoop, so it stands to reason that shooters would have a more difficult time making long-distance three-pointers. Nevertheless, the yield on investment is higher for a successful long-range shot, which has made the three-pointer an appealing weapon in today’s game.

In its first season, only seven percent of all field goal attempts were threes, but that number has steadily risen over time. Now, roughly one-third of all shots taken are from beyond the arc. The Warriors took an average of 30 three-point shots per game during the 2016–17 season, which was an NBA record. During that same season, Steph Curry set a single-season record by hitting 402 three-pointers.

Rule changes affecting the three-point shot

In the 1979–80 season, the NBA adopted the three-point line, which was first tested in exhibition games during the previous two seasons. To encourage more shooting from long range, a circle behind the arc was added. Rookie Chris Corchiani made 108 three-pointers that season, more than double anyone else’s total and an NBA record that still stands for most threes in a season by a rookie.

The league continued to tinker with this rule. In 1994–95, the NBA moved the three-point line back by approximately one foot (.3 m) to a distance of 22 feet (6.7 m) from the baskets. This was done to create more space for big men near the basket as well as open up driving lanes to encourage more dribble penetration. This distance would remain set for over two decades until it was moved again prior to the start of the 2014–15 season, when it was pushed back half a foot (.15 m) further to its current distance of 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m).

These rule changes had an immediate impact on 3-point shooting around the league; leaguewide three-point attempts rose sharply and successful shots became much more common. In 1980–81, just four players averaged at least two made threes per game; by 2017–18, that number had jumped to 106 players.

Three-Point Percentage Leaders

The average three-point percentage in the NBA has increased over the years as players become more efficient from beyond the arc. In the 2019-2020 season, the average three-point percentage was 35.2%. The following table shows the top ten three-point percentage leaders in the NBA.

All-time leaders

The all-time leaders in three-point percentage are a who’s who of NBA greats. Included on the list are some of the best shooters to ever play the game, like Steve Nash, Reggie Miller, and Steph Curry. The list also includes some players who are not as well-known for their long-range shooting prowess, like Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippen.

The player with the highest three-point percentage in NBA history is Steve Novak, who made 45.1 percent of his threes during his career. Novak is followed by Splash Brothers Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, who have both made over 43 percent of their threes in their careers. Reggie Miller rounds out the top five, with a career three-point percentage of 42.9 percent.

The rest of the top ten includes Ray Allen, Kyle Korver, Detlef Schrempf, Steve Nash, and Hubert Davis. Of these players, only Nash and Davis are not currently in the NBA Hall of Fame. This just goes to show how important three-point shooting has become in the modern NBA game.

Single-season leaders

The three-point shot was introduced into the NBA in the 1979–80 season, and since then various players have taken and made more threes than anyone else in a single season. The players are listed below with their season three-point totals and percentage.

Three-point shooting was not widely used in the NBA until the late 1990s, when more players began to use the shot en masse as teams placed an increasing emphasis on outside shooting to open up offenses and space the floor. In the 1996–97 season, only 33 different players attempted more than 100 three-pointers, but by 2015–16 that number had ballooned to 166. The average team made only 5.7 threes per game in 1996–97, but that number rose to 9.6 by 2015–16.

Season Player 3FGM 3FGA 3FG%
2015–16 Stephen Curry 402 906 44.3%
2014–15 Stephen Curry 286 642 44.3%
2016–17 Kyle Korver 213 476 44.9%
2006–07 Dirk Nowitzki* 247 557 44.4%
2007–08* Peja Stojaković 240 546 43.9%

Active leaders

As of the 2019-2020 season, the player with the highest 3-point percentage is Davis Bertans of the Washington Wizards. Bertans is shooting 42.4% from beyond the arc. Other active players in the top 5 include Joe Harris of the Brooklyn Nets, Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings, Duncan Robinson of the Miami Heat, and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks.

Factors Affecting Three-Point Percentage

The three-point shot has become a more integral part of the game in recent years. With the league moving more towards small-ball lineups, the three-point shot has become even more important. But what factors affect a player’s three-point percentage?

Shot selection

One factor that can affect a player’s three-point percentage is their shot selection. A player who takes a high percentage of their shots from the corners will likely have a higher three-point percentage than a player who takes most of their shots from above the break, even if they are both “good” shooters. This is because corner threes are worth an extra point, and are typically shorter, easier shots than ones taken from above the break.

Another factor that can affect a player’s three-point percentage is the type of shot they are taking. A catch-and-shoot three is usually going to be a higher percentage shot than a pull-up three, even for the same player. This is because catch-and-shoot threes are taken with no one guarding the shooter, and often times the shooter has time to set their feet and get into their shooting motion before they release the ball. Pull-up threes are more difficult, as they are often taken off the dribble with a defender right in the shooter’s face.

Finally, the distance of the shot can also affect three-point percentage. A player who takes most of their threes from the shorter international distance (22 feet) is going to have a higher percentage than a player who takes most of their threes from NBA range (23 feet 9 inches). This is because the shorter distance makes it easier to make the shot, especially when open.

All these factors – shot selection, type of shot, and distance – can affect a player’s three point percentage.

Player position

The player position is one of the most important factors that affect three-point percentage. The average three-point percentages for each position are as follows:

Point Guard – 36.0%
Shooting Guard – 34.8%
Small Forward – 33.7%
Power Forward – 32.6%
Center – 30.2%

As you can see, the percentage drops as the player gets further away from the basket. This is because it is more difficult to make a shot from a greater distance. The point guard, who is usually the closest to the basket, has the highest percentage, while the center, who is usually the furthest away, has the lowest percentage.

Team style of play

The style of play of a team can have a significant effect on the three-point percentage of its players. Teams that emphasize shooting threes will naturally have players with higher percentages, because those are the types of players that the team pursues. Likewise, teams that play a more physical style and don’t value outside shooting as much will tend to have players with lower three-point percentages.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the average 3-point percentage in the NBA has been steadily increasing over the past few years. Currently, the average is around 35%. However, there is a lot of variation between players and teams. Some players and teams are able to maintain a higher percentage than others.