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

I was watching a Golden State Warriors game last night when Stephen Curry sank yet another three-pointer, and it got me thinking - who actually holds the title for the most all-time three-pointers in NBA history? As someone who's been following basketball since the Jordan era, I've witnessed the game's evolution from post-heavy offenses to today's three-point revolution. The answer might seem obvious to casual fans, but the complete picture reveals some fascinating details about basketball's changing landscape.

When people ask me about the most all-time three-pointers in NBA history, most assume it's still Ray Allen holding that record. But here's the thing - Stephen Curry surpassed Allen's total of 2,973 three-pointers back in December 2021, and he's been adding to that number at an astonishing rate. What's remarkable is that Curry achieved this milestone in nearly 600 fewer games than Allen. I remember watching Allen play - his form was textbook perfect, but Curry's range and shot creation are something we've never seen before. The way today's game is played, with teams prioritizing three-point shooting more than ever, means this record will likely keep changing hands faster than in previous decades.

Speaking of three-point shooting evolution, I was recently analyzing a game where a player named Cruz dropped 27 points with incredible efficiency - 9-of-12 shooting including going 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Now that's the kind of shooting performance that makes you appreciate how specialized players have become. When I compare that to the early three-point days, the difference is night and day. Players like Cruz demonstrate why the conversation about most all-time three-pointers will likely include new names in coming years. The league's current emphasis on spacing and perimeter shooting means we're seeing more players develop deep range as part of their fundamental skillset.

Looking beyond Curry, the active players chasing the three-point record make for an interesting discussion. James Harden sitting at third all-time with around 2,700 three-pointers shows how his game evolved from drawing fouls to becoming a volume shooter from deep. Damian Lillard's deep threes - sometimes from what feels like half-court - demonstrate how the definition of a "good shot" has completely transformed. I've had arguments with fellow basketball enthusiasts about whether this three-point revolution is good for the game, and personally, I love it. The strategic complexity it adds makes basketball more interesting to analyze, even if I sometimes miss the physical post battles of the 90s.

What many casual fans don't realize is how international the three-point leaderboard has become. Players like Croatia's Bojan Bogdanović and Latvia's Kristaps Porziņģis show that the three-point shot has become a universal language in basketball. The globalization of the game means we're seeing fundamentally different approaches to perimeter shooting from various basketball cultures. When I watch European players, their shooting mechanics often look more consistent, perhaps because they grew up with the three-point line as a fundamental part of the game rather than an addition to it.

Thinking about the future of the most all-time three-pointers record, I'm convinced we'll see the number push well beyond 4,000. The way the game is trending, with younger players like Trae Young already accumulating threes at historic rates, suggests that Curry's eventual final number might be surpassed sooner than we expect. Teams are now building their entire offensive systems around creating three-point opportunities, and players are starting their professional careers with more developed long-range shots than ever before. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if we see a player eventually challenge 5,000 career three-pointers given the current trajectory of the league.

Reflecting on all this, the story of the most all-time three-pointers in NBA history isn't just about individual achievement - it's about basketball's fundamental transformation. From being viewed as a gimmick shot to becoming the centerpiece of modern offenses, the three-pointer has reshaped how we evaluate players and teams. As someone who's watched decades of basketball evolution, I find this particular statistical race uniquely compelling because it represents so much about where the game has been and where it's heading. The record will continue to change hands, but what won't change is the three-pointer's central role in defining NBA basketball for the foreseeable future.