Who Has the Most Threes in the NBA?
A discussion of the NBA player who has made the most three-point shots in a career.
Steph Curry
It is safe to say that Steph Curry is the best three-point shooter in NBA history. Curry has the most three-pointers in a season, with 402 in the 2015-16 season. He also has the best three-point percentage in a season, with 45.4% in the 2016-17 season.
Three-point field goals
In the National Basketball Association (NBA), a three-point field goal is a field goal made from behind the three-point line, a designated arc extending from 23 feet (7.01 m) from the basket. A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two points awarded for field goals made within the three-point line and the one point for each made free throw.
The distance from the basket to the three-point line varies by NBA franchise: The shortest distance (22 feet (6.71 m)) is in Houston, while the longest (23.75 feet (7.24 m)) is in Brooklyn and Milwaukee.
Curry set the record for most made threes in a single season in 2012–13 with 272. He then broke his own record in 2013–14 with 286, and again in 2014–15 with 287. In 2015–16, he became the first player in NBA history to make 400 threes in a season, finishing the year with 402. Curry again led the league in 2016–17 with 324 made threes, marking his sixth straight season leading the NBA in that category as of 2019–20.
Bryant holds the second most all-time for most seasons leading the league in threes, behind only Curry’s seven as of 2019–20 . Durant ranks third all-time, behind only Curry and Bryant, having done so five times as of 2019–20 .
Three-point field goal attempts
In the 2014–15 season, Curry set the NBA single-season record for three-pointers made, and he also became the first player in NBA history to be elected MVP by a unanimous vote. The following season, he again led the league in three-pointers made and set the NBA record for most three-pointers made in a regular season. He helped lead the Warriors to an NBA-record 73 regular-season wins as well as an appearance in the 2016 NBA Finals. In 2016–17, Curry became the sixth player in NBA history to average at least 30 points per game in consecutive seasons.
Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson has the most threes in the NBA. He is a shooting guard on the Golden State Warriors. He was drafted eleventh overall in the 2011 NBA draft by the Warriors.
Three-point field goals
Klay Thompson is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is one of the best three-point shooters in NBA history, currently holding the NBA record for most three-pointers made in a regular season game.
Three-point field goal attempts
In the NBA, a three-point attempt is any shot taken from beyond the three-point line, a distance from the basket that is greater than the radius of the arc of a circle with its center at the backboard. A successful three-point shot is worth three points. The most three-point attempts in an NBA game was 44, taken by Vince Carter of the Toronto Raptors against the Detroit Pistons on April 19, 2000. Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors holds the record for most three-pointers made in an NBA game, with 14, a feat he accomplished against…
James Harden
James Harden, the Houston Rockets shooting guard, has been having an incredible season so far. He’s averaging 36.3 points per game and has already hit 317 three-pointers. That’s the most threes in a single season in NBA history. And he’s not done yet. There are still 23 games left in the regular season.
Three-point field goals
In the National Basketball Association (NBA), a three-point field goal is made when a player scores from beyond the three-point arc, which is defined as the line that runs from 23 feet (7.0 m) from the basket in all directions.[1] A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two points awarded for shots made inside the three-point line. The distance from the basket to the three-point line varies by NBA team; all teams are required by rule to have a four-foot (1.2 m) wide arc within which all shots must be taken.[2]
In 1980, the NBA adopted a rule that awarded one extra point for each successful shot taken from beyond the three-point arc; this rule was widely unpopular and was abandoned just two seasons later.[3] This version of the rule was then reinstated for the 1986–87 season and has been in use ever since.[4]
As of 2019, there have been 43 players who have made at least 200 three-point field goals in an NBA season.[5] Ray Allen holds both the single-season and career record for most three-point field goals made; he made 269 threes in 2005–06 and 2,973 in his career.[6][7] Allen’s record of 269 threes in a season stood as the NBA record until Stephen Curry broke it in 2012–13 with 272 threes.[8] Curry holds several other shooting records, including those for most threes in a regular season game (12),[9] playoffs game (9),[10] and Finals game (7).[11][12][13] Klay Thompson is second on the list of players with 200+ threes in a season, making 218 threes during the 2016–17 season.
Three-point field goal attempts
In the National Basketball Association (NBA), the three-point field goal attempt (frequently referred to as a three) is a shot attempted by a player from behind the three-point line, a designated arc surrounding the basket. A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two points awarded for shots made inside the three-point line.
Since the 1979–80 season, when the NBA adopted the rule, players have been attempting more three-point field goals. In every season since then, the league’s average number of 3-point attempts per team has increased. This overall trend has continued since league inception: as of 2019–20, per team averages have increased from 5.4 attempts in 1946–47 to 27.0 in 2019–20.
Damian Lillard
As of the end of the 2019-2020 season, Damian Lillard has the most threes in the NBA with 943.
Three-point field goals
In basketball, a three-point field goal is a shot made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc surrounding the basket. A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two points awarded for shots made within the three-point line and the one point for each made free throw. The distance from the basket to the three-point line varies by competition level: in the National Basketball Association (NBA) the arc is 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) from the center of the basket; in FIBA, its international governing body, it is 22 feet (6.7 m).
By rule, no player may shoot a regular field goal from beyond this line until he or she “turns” 28 years old (in FIBA play) or 30 years old (in NBA play). The league adopted this rule in an effort to discourage players from jacking up too many threes early in their careers and missing them, which not only hurts their teams but also makes for ugly games.
In most leagues outside of professional basketball, including high school and collegiate basketball, there is no such age restriction; players may shoot from anywhere on the court. These other leagues also usually have a shorter distance for their three-point line; for example, in college basketball it is 20 feet 9 inches (6.32 m).
As of 2019–20, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers has made 2,184 threes in his NBA career.
Three-point field goal attempts
In the 2018-19 season, Damian Lillard averaged 8.0 three-point field goal attempts per game, which was the most in the NBA. Stephen Curry was second with 7.7 three-point field goal attempts per game, and Buddy Hield was third with 7.2 three-point field goal attempts per game.
Trae Young
As of February 12th, 2020, Trae Young has the most threes in the NBA with 162. He is followed by James Harden with 158 and Damian Lillard with 156.
Three-point field goals
In basketball, a three-point field goal is a field goal worth three points, taken from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc surrounding the basket. A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two points awarded for shots made inside the three-point line. The distance from the basket to the three-point line varies by competition level: in Major League Baseball (MLB), the arc is ninety feet; in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Men’s NCAA basketball, the arc is twenty-three feet, nine inches; in Women’s NCAA basketball and international FIBA play, the arc is twenty-two feet.
The sport’s first ever successful three-point field goal was made by Chris Ford of the Boston Celtics on October 12, 1979. Mario Elie was second when he made one on December 3 against Houston; Kyle Macy was third when he made one on December 7 against Detroit.[1] In swimming, world record also belongs to Ford with his swim of 3:43.16 on August 16, 1979 in Montreal.[2] The NBA introduced the three-point line for the 1979–80 season, along with changes aimed at increasing scoring (such as wider lanes).
From wishbone to spread offenses to today’s pick-and-roll game, players and coaches have tinkered with how best to utilize and defend against this weapon. In recent years there has been an increase in threes attempted per game (in both the NBA and college), which has led some analysts to suggest that we are in a “golden age” of long range shooting. Today’s NBA features shooters such as Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, Kemba Walker and Trae Young who have all broken records for most threes made in a season or career.
Three-point field goal attempts
In the 2019-20 NBA season, Young averaged 10.1 three-point field goal attempts per game, setting a new record for the most three-point field goal attempts in a season. His previous record was 9.7 three-point field goal attempts per game in the 2018-19 season.
