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A sport once dominated by massive centers who dominated the paint with size and post moves has experienced a major revolution over the past decade-plus.
Basketball now revolves around the 3-point shot.
The change can be attributed to a plethora of factors — including analytics — but it really comes down to the players who have made hitting threes a science.
With the proliferation of the three, we decided to look at the best — and most impactful — 3-point shooters in NBA history.
The No. 1 shooter might be obvious in the one and only Stephen Curry, where do guys like his Splash Brother teammate Klay Thompson, Ray Allen and Reggie Miller rank?
Let’s find out.
5. Kyle Korver
3-Pointers Made: 2,450 (5th)
While Kyle Korver will never be mistaken as one of the greatest players in NBA history, the sharpshooter put together an incredible 20-year career in the league. That was thanks to his incredible shooting range.
Arguably the most handsome player on the list, Korver finished his career with the fifth-most threes made and is currently 10th in 3-point percentage. Yet, he never averaged more than 14 points per game (2006-2007).
Korver played for six teams in his two-decades-long career, making the All-Star team once (2015). He finished his career with the Bucks in 2020, a year shy of Milwaukee winning a championship.
4. Reggie Miller
3-Pointers Made: 2,560 (4th)
The greatest Indiana Pacers player ever, Reggie Miller was known for his 3-point-shooting prowess, his unkillable confidence and being the “Knick Killer,” which was highlighted by his jaw-dropping performance scoring eight points in nine seconds.
Although, he’s currently fourth in all-time 3-pointers made, the former UCLA star held the record for most 3s made in a career when he retired in 2005. He now trails Stephen Curry, Ray Allen and James Harden.
If you don’t want to take our word for it, then take what Ray Allen, who you’ll see later on this list, said about Miller’s legendary career.
"I know a lot has been said about me being a great shooter, being one of the best," Allen said during his Hall of Fame speech. "But, what I know … Reggie Miller is the best shooter that I've seen in my life."
3. Klay Thompson
3-Pointers Made: 1,912 (18th)
The first Splash Brother on this list has a chance to rise up even further as he continues his illustrious career, but, for now, he’s stuck at a respectable No. 3.
There might not be a more picturesque jump shot in NBA history than Thompson’s. The son of former Lakers, Spurs and Trail Blazers star Mychal Thompson, Klay has not only been one of the best shooters in the league since he entered in 2011, but he’s also been a defensive stalwart.
But we’re here to discuss his unbelievable shooting ability.
Despite missing two years of his prime due to injury and being overshadowed by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, Thompson will almost assuredly finish in the top 10 in most 3-pointers made in a career.
Thompson’s had some legendary performances in his career, but his most impressive might have been his NBA-record 37-point third-quarter performance in January 2015.
Or that that time he set the NBA-record for most threes made in a game at 14 in 2018.
Whether you’re a devout Klaytheist or not, it’s hard to argue with Thompson’s incredible track record.
2. Ray Allen
3-Pointers Made: 2,973 (2nd)
Before the Splash Bros., there was Jesus Shuttleworth.
Ray Allen is a two-time NBA champion who played 18 seasons in the league, finished his career as the all-time 3-point leader and starred next to Denzel Washington in He Got Game. It doesn’t get much better than that.
The fifth pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, Allen quickly established himself as a sniper who would have an impact for a long time. After toiling away in Seattle, Allen joined the Celtics and formed Boston’s “Big 3” with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.
He then left Bean Town to take his talents to South Beach with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. That’s where Allen’s most famous shot — of course, a three — took place against the Spurs in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals.
While Allen was one of the scariest shooters in NBA history, there is someone even better…
1. Stephen Curry
3-Pointers Made: 3,117 (1st)
There’s been no better shooter in NBA history than Chef Curry.
The baby-faced assassin is one of the most impactful players in NBA history. It’s not hyperbole to say Stephen Curry has changed the entire landscape of the NBA and how the game is played.
He’s done so with his exciting blend of eye-popping shooting and flair for the dramatic. The two-time MVP is so much more than a shooter, too. But his greatest strength is what makes him so tantalizing.
His 3-point shooting has revolutionized basketball and he’s not done. Enjoy the greatest shooter of all time while you still can.
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