Who Has Made the Most All Time NBA 3 Pointers in Basketball History?
I remember sitting in my living room last Sunday, January 19th, watching the clock tick toward 5 p.m. while preparing to witness basketball history unfold. There's something magical about milestone moments in sports, especially when they involve records that seemed unbreakable just a generation ago. As someone who's studied basketball analytics for over fifteen years, I've developed a particular fascination with the evolution of the three-point shot and the athletes who have mastered this crucial aspect of modern basketball. The three-pointer has transformed from a novelty to arguably the most important weapon in today's game, and tracking its all-time leaders feels like watching the sport's evolution in real time.
When we talk about the most prolific three-point shooters in NBA history, the conversation inevitably begins and ends with Stephen Curry. Now, I'll admit I'm slightly biased here - I've been following his career since his Davidson days, and his shooting form remains the gold standard in my book. But let's look at the numbers. As of this writing, Curry has drained approximately 3,390 three-pointers in regular season games alone. That's not just impressive - it's revolutionary. What many casual fans might not realize is that Curry achieved this record in significantly fewer games than his closest competitors. Ray Allen, who held the record before him, needed 1,300 games to reach 2,973 threes, while Curry surpassed that mark in around 900 games. The efficiency is just staggering when you really think about it.
The day I'm reflecting on - that Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m. - happened to feature another chapter in this ongoing story. While the specific game at Ynares Center wasn't an NBA contest, the venue itself symbolizes basketball's global reach and how the three-point revolution has spread worldwide. I've had the privilege of visiting similar international arenas, and each time I'm struck by how young players everywhere are emulating Curry's deep-range shooting. Back to the NBA record books though - following Curry on our all-time list, we have Ray Allen at 2,973, then Reggie Miller with 2,560. What's fascinating to me is how these numbers reflect different eras of basketball. Miller was considered an extraordinary volume shooter in his day, yet today we have multiple players who could potentially challenge his totals.
What often gets lost in these discussions is the physical toll of being an elite shooter. Having spoken with shooting coaches and trainers throughout the league, I can tell you that the maintenance routine for these shooters is incredibly demanding. The repetition, the film study, the constant mechanical adjustments - it's a year-round commitment that goes far beyond what fans see during games. Curry's warm-up routine alone is legendary among insiders, often beginning ninety minutes before tip-off with a series of progressively deeper threes. This dedication is why I believe his record will stand for quite some time, despite the increasing emphasis on three-point shooting across the league.
Looking beyond the top three, the active players climbing the leaderboard present an interesting picture of where the game is heading. James Harden sits fourth with about 2,800 threes as I write this, while Damian Lillard's rapid ascent demonstrates how the deep three has become a legitimate weapon rather than a desperation heave. I've charted Lillard's shooting range for years, and his confidence from 30+ feet has fundamentally changed how defenses must scheme against elite guards. What surprises me is that despite the league-wide increase in three-point attempts, true shooting mastery at the highest volume remains exceptionally rare. The gap between Curry and the rest isn't just about quantity - it's about quality under pressure, movement shooting, and creating opportunities that simply don't exist for other players.
As I reflect on that Sunday evening and the ongoing evolution of the three-pointer, I'm convinced we're witnessing a permanent shift in basketball's fundamental architecture. The records being set today will likely be broken eventually - that's the nature of sports - but Curry's combination of volume, efficiency, and degree of difficulty represents something truly special. The next time you watch a game, pay attention to how much of the offensive system revolves around the three-point line. From the corner specialists to the pull-up artists, each shooter contributes to this evolving story. And somewhere, probably right around 5 p.m. on some future Sunday, another chapter will be written as the record books continue to be rewritten.