Leading 3 Point Shooters in NBA History: Ranking the Greatest Sharpshooters

When I first started watching basketball in the late 90s, the three-point shot was still considered somewhat of a novelty—a high-risk, high-reward weapon that only a few specialists dared to wield regularly. Fast forward to today, and it's become the very foundation of modern NBA offense. Having studied basketball analytics for over a decade, I've developed a particular fascination with the art and science of long-range shooting, which brings me to our topic today: ranking the greatest sharpshooters in NBA history.

Let me start with the obvious—Stephen Curry isn't just the greatest shooter ever; he's fundamentally changed how basketball is played at every level. I remember watching his 2016 season unfold in disbelief as he shattered his own record with 402 three-pointers, a number that still feels almost fictional. What separates Curry isn't just the volume—it's the degree of difficulty. He shoots off the dribble, from near half-court, with defenders draped all over him, yet maintains a career percentage north of 42%. That's simply absurd when you consider the context. Ray Allen, who I'd place second, represents a different archetype—the flawless technician whose mechanical perfection allowed him to hit countless clutch shots, including that iconic corner three in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals. His 2,973 career threes stood as the record for years, and watching him work off screens was like observing a master craftsman.

Then there's Reggie Miller, whose trash-talking, clutch-performing persona made him must-watch television during the 90s. I'll always argue he'd be even more lethal in today's pace-and-space era. His 25 points in the fourth quarter against the Knicks in 1994 remains one of the most spectacular shooting displays I've ever witnessed. What's fascinating about these shooters is how they each answered that unspoken question every great scorer faces—"Bakit natin pinapaabot du'n pa?" or "Why do we extend it there?"—by fundamentally expanding our conception of scoring range. Larry Bird, though not matching modern volume, was pioneering this mindset back in the 80s, famously asking during the first Three-Point Contest, "Who's finishing second?"

The analytics revolution has completely transformed how we evaluate shooters today. While pure percentage matters, we now value players like Klay Thompson who can explode for 11 threes in a playoff game or Damian Lillard who treats 30-footers as high-percentage shots. Thompson's 14 threes in a 2018 game against Chicago—while barely dribbling—showcases a type of shooting purity we may never see again. Meanwhile, Kyle Korver's 53% three-point shooting season in 2015 deserves more recognition—that's shooting efficiency so high it almost seems like a statistical error.

What often gets overlooked in these discussions is the mental aspect. The confidence required to take—and make—game-changing threes separates the good shooters from the legendary ones. I've always believed that Steve Kerr, despite lower volume, belongs in this conversation purely for his clutch performances, including that championship-winner in 1997. His 51% career playoff three-point percentage is a testament to performing when it matters most.

As I reflect on these shooters, what strikes me is how each generation has pushed the boundaries further. From the early skepticism about the three-point line to today's embrace of ultra-deep shooting, the evolution has been remarkable. The true greats didn't just master existing techniques—they expanded the very possibilities of where and how shots could be made, answering that eternal question of "why extend it there" by demonstrating that for them, there simply are no boundaries.