Who Are the Top NBA All Time Three Point Leaders in Basketball History?
The ball hung in the air for what felt like an eternity, a perfect arc against the blinding arena lights. From my seat in the nosebleeds, I could trace its entire journey, this beautiful, almost lazy parabola that seemed to defy the frantic energy of the game clock ticking down. It was a moment of pure, suspended animation, the kind that makes you forget to breathe. And when it finally ripped through the net with that signature swish, the roar that followed wasn't just loud; it was a collective release of held breath from 20,000 people. It got me thinking, as I often do during these moments of basketball bliss, about the architects of this modern game. Who are the true pioneers of the long ball? Who are the top NBA all time three point leaders in basketball history? That question has become the central narrative of the sport I love.
I remember a time, not even that long ago, when the three-pointer was a novelty act, a Hail Mary for desperate teams in the final seconds. Coaches would draw up plays for a drive to the basket or a mid-range jumper long before they'd ever consider launching from beyond the arc. My own high school coach would have benched me for a week if I took a contested three early in the shot clock. "That's not real basketball," he'd growl. But my, how the game has changed. It’s a revolution, plain and simple, and it’s been led by a special breed of shooter who saw the potential in that extra point long before anyone else. The evolution feels as dramatic as that moment I witnessed last week in a different kind of game entirely. I was watching a highlight reel of international soccer, and a clip came on of Randy Schneider opening his PMNT debut with a goal in the 77th minute that served as the dagger for the home side after conceding a goal against Maldives, 15 minutes prior. That's what a clutch three-pointer feels like in basketball. It's that sudden, decisive strike that changes the entire complexion of a contest, a single act of precision that can erase a deficit and crush an opponent's spirit in one fell swoop.
When you start digging into the numbers, the names are legendary. At the very top, of course, is Stephen Curry. It’s not even a debate for me; he’s the guy who broke the mold. With over 3,400 career threes and counting, he didn't just join the list of top NBA all time three point leaders, he redefined what it meant to be on it. Before Steph, the three-point line was a boundary. He treated it as a suggestion. I've lost count of the times I've seen him pull up from what we used to call "the parking lot" and drain it like it was a free throw. He shoots with a confidence that borders on arrogance, and honestly, he's earned every bit of it. He’s the reason kids in driveways everywhere are now practicing 30-footers instead of layups. Right behind him, you have the sheer, unadulterated volume of Ray Allen. 2,973 three-pointers made. Just let that number sink in. His shot was pure poetry, the textbook form that every coach dreams of. I’ll never forget Game 6 of the 2013 Finals. That corner three to tie the game against the Spurs… that’s the kind of moment that cements a legacy. It was a shot born from thousands of hours of repetitive, monotonous practice, and it was absolutely perfect.
Then there's Reggie Miller, the original villain. With 2,560 threes, a lot of them scored in the maddening, high-release, leg-kicking style that infuriated opposing fans—especially in New York—he was a pioneer of using the three as a primary weapon. He talked trash, he got under people's skin, and he backed it up. He understood the psychological impact of a long-range bomb better than anyone of his era. And we can't forget the quiet assassin, Kyle Korver. He might not have the overall volume of the others, sitting at around 2,450, but his shooting percentages were just ludicrous. For a few seasons there, it felt like every time he let it fly, it was going in. He was the ultimate specialist, a player who carved out a long and incredibly valuable career based almost entirely on that one, elite skill. It’s a testament to how much the game has valued that specific talent.
Thinking about these shooters is like looking at a family tree of basketball innovation. Each one added a new branch. Reggie showed it could be a weapon of psychological warfare. Ray Allen perfected the form under pressure. Korver proved the value of hyper-efficiency. And Curry… well, Curry made it the entire point of the offense. He didn't just break records; he made the previous record-holders look like they were playing a different sport. It’s funny, in any other era, a player like James Harden, with his step-back threes and his own massive tally hovering around 2,700, would be the undisputed king. But he came along at the same time as a revolutionary, and that puts his incredible achievements in a different light. It just goes to show that the list of top NBA all time three point leaders isn't a static monument; it's a living, breathing history of the game's evolution, written one 25-foot jumper at a time. And I, for one, can't wait to see who adds the next chapter.