List of top 10 NBA 3 point leaders
The three-point shot has become a vital part of the NBA’s gameplan, helping to shape the modern style of play. From the early days when the three-pointer was a secondary element of offense, to the era when the shot from beyond the arc became the main weapon, the best shooters have left a lasting mark on history. The list of all-time three-pointers is not only a reflection of individual excellence, but also a reflection of the changing approach to the game over time, contributing to the NBA’s ever-growing appeal. Join Premiumsoccertips as we take a look at the top 10 NBA 3 point leaders.
Top 10 NBA 3 point leaders
Top 10: Peja Stojakovic
Stojakovic found a role for himself with the Sacramento Kings in the late 1990s/early 2000s thanks to his 3-point shooting, which helped space the floor for Chris Webber, Mike Bibby, Vlade Divac, and others. He eventually became the team’s second-leading scorer as they reached the Western Conference Finals in 2002 thanks to his efficiency from long range. While the Kings faded after that run, Stojakovic continued to thrive—he ranked in the top 10 in 3-pointers made every season from 2002-03 to 2004-05. When he led the league in 3-pointers in 2003-04, he even finished fourth in MVP voting. During that time, Stojakovic won the 3-point contest twice (2002, 2003), becoming one of eight players to win multiple times.
Stojakovic changed after the Kings traded him in 2006, but his ability to shoot from long range remained an advantage throughout his career. He finished 12th in 3-pointers in the NBA in 2010-11 before winning a championship with the Dallas Mavericks. When he retired, Stojakovic was fourth all-time in 3-pointers. As of February 2025, he ranks 32nd on the list, a testament to the NBA’s changing landscape and making him one of the players who could have benefited from being born later.
Top 9: Dirk Nowitzki
Nowitzki is on the NBA 3 point leaders all time list. No one at the position has made more 3-pointers than him, with 1,982 in his career—more than 300 more than the next-best as of February 2025. His career 3-point percentage (38%) is also among the highest for a tall player. His long-range shooting ability helped Nowitzki become one of the NBA’s top stars in the 2000s and 2010s. He was a 14-time All-Star and became the fifth player to join the 50-40-90 club in 2006-07, when he made 42% of his 3-pointers en route to winning MVP honors.
Nowitzki continued to improve his long-range shooting in the 2011 playoffs, when he shot 46% from the line, a key part of the Mavericks’ championship run. This achievement further cemented his status as one of the greatest players in the NBA. He also made a name for himself by winning the 2006 3-Point Contest, becoming the first tall player to achieve this feat. This further confirmed Nowitzki’s excellent shooting ability, helping him redefine the role of the forward/center in modern basketball.
Top 8: Damian Lillard
Lillard has been one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA since joining the league in 2012. He has been in the top eight in 3-point attempts in each of his first nine seasons, making at least 36% in eight of them. As of February 2025, Lillard ranks fourth on the all-time 3-point shooting list and second in 3-pointers made per game average. His consistent long-range shooting has helped him maintain his status as one of the league’s most dangerous scorers.
Lillard’s most memorable career moments have also come from long range. He eliminated the Houston Rockets from the first round of the 2014 playoffs with a game-winning 3-pointer in the final seconds of Game 6. Five years later, he hit a 37-foot 3-pointer over Paul George, helping the Portland Trail Blazers defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2019 playoffs. His long-range shooting has also helped Lillard finish in the NBA’s top 10 scoring positions for seven seasons and win the 3-point contest two straight times (2023, 2024).
Top 7: JJ Redick
Before becoming the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, Redick established himself as one of the NBA all time 3 point leaders list. Few players in history can match his success rate and efficiency. With 1,950 successful 3-pointers, Redick ranks 15th in NBA history when he retires in 2021. His career 3-point percentage is 41.5%, the 18th highest of all time. Among the 50 players with the most 3-pointers in NBA history, Redick has the fourth highest success rate, demonstrating incredible consistency and accuracy.
Not only has Redick maintained his form, he has also become more effective as he ages. He was in the top five in 3-point percentage in each of the four seasons from 2014 to 2020, even leading the league with 47.5% in 2015-16. While he has never won the 3-Point Contest, that doesn’t diminish his value. Redick is still recognized as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history thanks to his consistency and excellent long-range shooting ability.
Top 6: Kyle Korver
Korver has also established himself as one of the best 3-point shooters in NBA history, even slightly bettering him in efficiency and attempts. He has consistently been among the top 3-point percentage players, leading the league four times and finishing in the top 10 eight times. Notably, his 53.6% from the 3-point line in 2009-10 remains the best single-season mark in NBA history. Korver is not only excellent in terms of accuracy, but also possesses the ability to maintain a consistent performance throughout his career, making him one of the most reliable long-range shooters of all time.
Not only is Korver efficient, but he also makes a large number of 3-pointers. As of February 2025, he ranks eighth in NBA history with 2,450 successful 3-pointers. Among the 50 players with the most 3-pointers of all time, Korver has the highest success rate at 42.9%, and ranks 10th in NBA history in long-range accuracy. Although he was only named an All-Star once in the 2014-15 season with the Atlanta Hawks, Korver is still considered one of the most dangerous bench players thanks to his consistent long-range shooting and ability to make plays every time he takes the court.
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Top 5: James Harden
Many people think of Harden for his ability to score from the free throw line, but it’s his three-point shooting that’s the most important weapon that draws the attention of opposing defenses. Harden’s signature step-back three-pointer has become one of the most iconic shots in the NBA in recent years. His excellent long-range shooting ability makes him a constant threat to any defense, forcing opponents to foul or allow him to take accurate shots.
Harden has been in the top five in three-pointers made for six consecutive seasons (2014-20), and led the NBA in this stat for the last three seasons of that period. As of February 2025, he ranks second on the list of players with the most three-pointers made in NBA history, a testament to his incredible consistency from beyond the arc. In the first 15 years of his career, Harden only had three seasons shooting below 35 percent from the field, demonstrating that his 3-point shooting efficiency has always been high. He also ranks sixth all-time in 3-pointers made per game among players with at least 400 appearances. In addition, Harden has had an illustrious career, with the 2018 MVP award and the 2012 Sixth Player of the Year award, cementing his status as one of the top stars of his generation.
Top 4: Klay Thompson
You can’t leave out the Splash brothers when ranking the greatest 3-point shooters in NBA history, and Klay Thompson is definitely one of the top names. His ability to shoot from distance is not only demonstrated by his statistics but also by his incredible performances. His 2016 game, where he scored 60 points on just 11 dribbles and made 8/14 3-pointers, is a prime example of his extraordinary efficiency. Thompson is not only a good shooter, but he can also score without touching the ball much, which is very rare in the NBA.
Thompson’s talent for long range shooting was most evident when he set an NBA record with 14 successful 3-pointers in a game in 2018, shooting 58.3% in that game. As of February 2025, he ranks fifth on the all-time list of three-pointers with 2,622 attempts. In terms of efficiency, he has a career three-point percentage of 41.2%, which ranks 20th all-time but fifth among the top 50 players with the most three-pointers made. Thompson’s explosiveness from beyond the arc has been a key part of the Golden State Warriors’ success, helping them win four titles from 2014 to 2022. He also cemented his individual status by winning the 2016 Three-Point Contest, cementing his reputation as one of the greatest shooters of all time.
Top 3: Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller can be considered the first player to truly lay the foundation for greatness in three-point shooting in NBA history. While the 3-point arc was only a novelty before he entered the league, Miller quickly recognized its value and took full advantage of his ability to shoot from distance. During his 18-season career with the Indiana Pacers, he was consistently one of the top shooters. He finished in the top 10 in 3-point attempts for 15 consecutive seasons and even led the NBA in that stat twice, despite the NBA in the 1990s favoring a more defensive style of play than an explosive offense.
Although Miller’s career 3-point percentage was 39.5 percent (69th all-time), he finished in the top 10 in 3-point percentage in five seasons. More importantly, Miller not only shot a lot, but he did it with incredible consistency. When he retired in 2005, he was the player with the most 3-point attempts in NBA history with 2,560. That mark held for six seasons before being surpassed, but even with the explosion of modern 3-point shooters, Miller still ranks sixth all-time as of February 2025. His consistency and efficiency make him one of the greatest shooters to ever grace the NBA.
Top 2: Ray Allen
Not only did Ray Allen surpass Reggie Miller as the NBA’s best 3-point shooter in 2011, he was also the perfect example of the combination of high volume and consistent accuracy. Throughout a career spanning four different teams, Allen was a constant threat from beyond the arc, helping to define the era of great 3-point shooters. He finished in the top 10 in 3-point attempts in 11 seasons and led the league in that stat three times. Even when he joined the Boston Celtics, where he shared shooting opportunities with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, Allen still had two seasons in the top five in 3-point attempts.
Allen’s career 3-point percentage is 40 percent, which ranks 47th in NBA history, but he still had four seasons in the top 10 in 3-point percentage. Even as he entered the twilight of his career, Allen maintained incredible consistency, shooting over 40 percent from distance in three of his final four seasons. And while he made thousands of 3-pointers, his most memorable moment was undoubtedly the step-back 3-pointer late in the 2013 Finals that gave the Miami Heat hope against the San Antonio Spurs. That shot not only demonstrated Allen’s coolness in the crucial moments, but also cemented his legacy as one of the greatest 3-point shooters of all time.
Top 1: Steph Curry
Curry is widely regarded by fans and analysts as the greatest 3-point shooter in NBA history. He officially cemented that status when he surpassed Ray Allen’s 3-point shooting record in 2021. However, even before that, no one doubted Curry’s influence. He revolutionized the NBA with his ability to hit 3s from long range and from any angle, making them the Golden State Warriors’ primary weapon. He led the league in 3-pointers made for five consecutive seasons (2012-17) and repeated the feat three more times after that. In total, he has spent eight seasons leading the NBA in this metric, an unprecedented record.
While he has never led the league in 3-point percentage, Curry has spent nine seasons in the top 10 in efficiency. As of February 2025, his career 3-point shooting percentage is 42.4%, ranking him 13th in NBA history and third among the top 50 shooters. He is also the first player to make more than 400 3-pointers in a season, hitting a record 402 in 2015-16. With two MVP awards, four championships, and a profound impact on the modern game, Curry is not only the best 3-point shooter in NBA history, but also one of the greatest players in NBA history.
Final Thoughts
The NBA 3 point leaders have not only captivated audiences with their remarkable skills but have also played a crucial role in transforming team strategies. As long-range shooting becomes increasingly essential, records for successful three-pointers will continue to be set and broken, reflecting the league’s constant evolution. The NBA will keep witnessing new generations of players with exceptional shooting abilities, further shaping the ever-evolving story of professional basketball.
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