The game of basketball has changed. Even if some people don’t like today’s NBA or the Golden State Warriors over their three-point friendly offense, it won’t go away any time soon. And you can thank Stephen Curry for that.
Curry took a weapon that was often thelast resort and made it his go-to way of hurting defenses. Now, kids are pulling up from 30+ feet and defenses are pressuring all over the court to prevent one of those shots.
The game will continue to evolve and it will eventually change again, maybe even going back to pounding the paint and leaving the three-pointer behind. But now that Curry has broken the record for the most triples made, let’s take a look at the 5 players with the most three-pointers in NBA history.
NBA All-Time Leaders In Three-Pointers Made
5. Kyle Korver -2,450
Kyle Korver – Getty Images
Of all of the players we’re about to mention, Kyle Korver might as well be the most special. And we don’t mean he’s the best of them by any means, but he’s the only one who was out there on the court with the sole purpose of knocking down three-pointers.
Korver became an average defender at some point in his career and he was a willing passer as well. But he was out there as a sharpshooter and for very good reason, as he shot nearly 43% from three per his career. He lead the league in 3p% four times, including a season shooting 53.6%, the highest percentage in league history.
4. James Harden – 2,509 (and counting)
James Harden – Getty Images
James Harden has never been an efficient shooter, unless we’re talking about the free-throw line. Nonetheless, he’s still one of the best lefty shooters of all time, especially considering how many triples he attempts per game.
Thus far, Harden has knocked down 36% of his shots from beyond the arc. He’s got a career-high of 10 three-pointers made, and will continue to shoot the ball from deepregardless of if he’s gone 1/10. There’s no wonder why he was able to lead the league in scoring three times,as he’s one of the most versatile scorers ever.
3. Reggie Miller -2,560
Reggie Miller – Getty Images
Even though Larry Bird was perhaps the first player who started using the three-pointer as one of his go-to-weapons, it was Reggie Miller the one who made it popular. Opposing defenses often doubled him on the perimeter, yet he always found the way to pull up.
Miller managed to knock down over 2,500 three-pointers despite playing on an era with a slower pace and a paint-oriented offense. Shockingly, he only attempted 4.7 triples per game over his career, which speaks volumes of his efficiency and proficiency as a shooter. He was a 39.5% shooter from beyond the arc.
2. Ray Allen -2,973
Ray Allen – Getty Images
Even though most young fans remember Ray Allen for being an outstanding three-point shooter, he actually had to change his game to stay relevant in the league. Back when he entered the league, he was an aggressive driver that could score from all three levels.
Allen was way more than just a shooter but he mastered the fine art of knocking down shots from deep as his career passed. He snatched most of Reggie Miller’s records and was a career 40% shooter from three-point range. He led the league in triples made three times, knocking down 269 of 653 in 2006.
1. Stephen Curry – 2,977 (and counting)
Stephen Curry – Getty Images
Stephen Curry needed 511 fewer games than Ray Allen to break the all-time three-pointers made record. To put that in context, that’s nearly six full seasons. That’s how much the game has changed and how far ahead of the rest of the pack Curry is.
There’s no one that comes close to Steph when it comes to shooting. His technique, high arc, quick-release, follow-through, you name it. He’s the best at it. We’re talking about a guy who shoots 43.1% from three per his career despite attempting an absurd 13.4 triples a game. Even if someone breaks his record down the line, Curry will always be the best on this art.
