A Brief History of the NBA’s 3 Point Line

The 3 point line has been a part of the NBA for over 40 years. But where did it come from? And how has it changed the game of basketball?

The Early Years

The NBA’s 3 point line has been a staple of the game for over 40 years. It has changed the way the game is played and has produced some of the most iconic moments in NBA history. Let’s take a look at the history of the 3 point line.

The ABA introduces the 3 point line

In the 1967-68 season, the American Basketball Association introduced the 3 point line. The ABA was the first league to use the now-familiar arc that surrounds the basket, and they placed it 22 feet away from the hoop — about 7 feet further than the college line at that time. Sam Jones of the Boston Celtics was one of the first players to take advantage of the new rule, and he went on to set an NBA record by sinking 22 3 pointers in a single game that season.

The NBA adopts the 3 point line

In the 1979-80 season, the NBA adopted the 3 point line for the first time. The line was originally 22 feet away from the basket in the corners, and 23 feet, 9 inches away from the basket at the top of the key. These measurements were in place for 10 years before they were slightly shortened for the 1986-87 season, when they were moved in 1 foot to 21 feet in the corners and 23 feet at the top of the key.

The Modern Era

The NBA’s 3 point line was first implemented during the 1979-1980 season. Prior to that, the league experimented with a few different versions of a 3 point line, but it wasn’t until the 1979-1980 season that the league settled on the current 22 feet distance from the basket.

The 3 point line is moved back

In the fall of 1980, the Board of Governors approved a plan to place a circular decal on the floor 22 feet from the baskets at each end of the court. This was an attempt to improve shooting percentages and increase scoring, which had dipped alarmingly to 106.7 points per game during the 1978-79 season, down from 111.2 points per game only two seasons earlier. While this rule change produced the desired affect-a slight uptick in scoring to 107.5 points per game-it also had the unintended consequence of further congesting an already crowded lane, as players now had an extra foot or so to drive into the teeth of the defense without fear of being whistled for a lane violation.

With scoring and shooting percentages again on the decline just three seasons later, in 1983-84, the Board of Governors decided to address the problem by moving the 3 point line back to its original distance of 23 feet, 9 inches-where it remains today. The move paid immediate dividends as scoring jumped back up to 111.1 points per game that season, and has remained relatively steady ever since.

The 3 point line is moved back again

In the summer of 2008, the NBA’s Board of Governors voted to move the 3 point line back to its original distance of 22 feet, 1¾ inches. The change went into effect for the 2008-09 season. The move was made in an effort to further open up the court and increase scoring.

The 3 point line has been moved a few times since it was first introduced in the NBA. In its inaugural season (1979-80), the line was 23 feet, 9 inches from the basket. The league experimented with a shorter distance (22 feet) for a couple seasons in the late 1980s, but reverted back to the original distance in 1994-95. In 1997-98, the line was moved back one foot to its current distance of 22 feet, 1¾ inches.

The 3 Point Line Today

The 3 point line was first introduced in the NBA in the 1979-80 season. The line was originally 22 feet in the corners and 23.75 feet everywhere else. The 3 point line has gone through several changes since it was first introduced. In the most recent change, the NBA has moved the line to 22 feet all the way around the perimeter.

The 3 point line is here to stay

The 3 point line has been a staple of the NBA since it was first introduced in the 1979-80 season.

Since then, the league has seen a dramatic increase in the number of 3 pointers attempted and made. In the 2018-19 season, teams averaged 30.0 3PA (three-point attempts) and 11.7 3PM (three-pointers made) per game, compared to 5.9 3PA and 2.1 3PM per game in the 1979-80 season.

The increased popularity of the three pointer has led to some calls for the line to be extended further back, as it is currently 22 feet from the basket at its shortest distance. However, there are no plans to change the distance of the line any time soon, as commissioner Adam Silver has stated that he believes it is “here to stay.”