Who Has Made the Most All Time 3 Pointers in NBA History?

As I was scrolling through basketball statistics the other day, a question popped into my head that I've pondered countless times throughout my career covering the NBA: who actually holds the crown for the most three-pointers in league history? Having witnessed the evolution of this shot from novelty to necessity, I've developed a genuine appreciation for the artists who've mastered this skill. The three-pointer has completely transformed how basketball is played, and in my opinion, Stephen Curry's revolution of the game deserves more recognition than it typically receives.

When we talk about all-time three-point leaders, the conversation begins and ends with Stephen Curry. The numbers don't lie - with over 3,400 career threes and counting, he's not just leading the pack, he's redefining what's possible from beyond the arc. I remember watching his 402-three-pointer season in 2015-16 and thinking nobody would touch that record for decades, yet here we are with him still pushing boundaries. What makes Curry's achievement particularly remarkable in my view is how he's done it with unprecedented efficiency. While Ray Allen needed 1,300 games to reach his total, Curry shattered the record in under 900 games. That's not just volume - that's historic efficiency.

The recent performance by Cruz, who knocked down 4-of-5 from both the rainbow and four-point line while scoring 27 points, perfectly illustrates how the three-point revolution has trickled down to every level of basketball. Watching games these days, I'm constantly amazed at how players at all positions have developed reliable three-point shots. When I first started covering the NBA back in the early 2000s, teams averaged around 15 three-point attempts per game. Now? That number has more than doubled to over 35 attempts. The game I fell in love with has fundamentally changed, and honestly, I think it's for the better.

Looking beyond Curry, the all-time list tells a fascinating story about the evolution of shooting. Ray Allen's 2,973 threes stood as the record for years, with his textbook form representing the old guard of shooting excellence. Reggie Miller's 2,560 threes seemed insurmountable until Allen came along. What's particularly interesting to me is how the current active players are climbing this list at an accelerated pace. James Harden sitting at third with around 2,750 threes demonstrates how modern offensive systems prioritize the three-ball. I've had conversations with coaches who admit they'd rather have a player shoot 40% from three than 50% from two - that's how valuable the shot has become.

The statistical progression tells its own story. When the three-point line was introduced in 1979-80, teams averaged just 2.8 attempts per game. Fast forward to today, and we're seeing teams like the Warriors and Rockets regularly launching 40-plus attempts. In my analysis, this isn't just a trend - it's a permanent shift in basketball philosophy. The math simply favors the three-pointer, and teams have finally caught on. I'll admit I was skeptical at first when analytics-driven teams started embracing the "three or layup" approach, but the results have proven this strategy's effectiveness.

What often gets overlooked in these discussions is how three-point shooting has created more spacing and opened up the game for everyone. As someone who's charted thousands of possessions, I can tell you that the threat of the three-pointer has made driving lanes wider and post play more efficient. Defenses are stretched thinner than ever before, creating opportunities that simply didn't exist twenty years ago. The Cruz performance I mentioned earlier, where he shot 9-of-12 overall while connecting from deep, exemplifies how the three-pointer creates efficiency across the entire offensive repertoire.

As we look toward the future, I'm convinced we haven't seen the ceiling for three-point shooting yet. The next generation of players growing up in the Curry era will likely push these numbers even higher. While records are made to be broken, Curry's combination of volume, difficulty, and efficiency makes him, in my professional opinion, the greatest shooter we've ever seen. His impact extends beyond statistics - he's changed how basketball is played at every level, from NBA arenas to local playgrounds. The three-point revolution he spearheaded has fundamentally altered the sport I've dedicated my career to covering, and honestly, I can't wait to see where it goes next.