20 NBA Players With The Most 3-Pointers In The Last 20 Seasons

The most important aspect of modern NBA offenses is the three-point shot because it makes or breaks a team over the course of an individual game. Making more threes at a higher percentage than the opponent normally gives a team the best chance to win games because three points on the board per possession are much more impactful than two points. Of course, it also beats taking your time getting points from the foul line.

But which players are considered the greatest shooters over the last two decades? Stephen Curry has passed Ray Allen for the most threes in NBA history, an incredible feat considering Steph is only 33 years old with plenty of time to continue adding to his incredible record. Quite simply, Curry’s shooting has been alarmingly special, and we never thought we would ever see Ray Allen or even Reggie Miller get surpassed at taking shots from the perimeter. Not to mention, players such as Damian Lillard and James Harden have built their entire offensive game around the deep shooting. But where do these aforementioned players rank among the all-time greatest three-point shooters?

We have ranked the 20 best shooters ever based on the total threes made over the last two decades. We will also take into account each player’s impact as a shooter and what they have done in their respective careers to date. Without further ado, here are the 20 greatest shooters over the last 20 years.

20. Carmelo Anthony – 1,731 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 1,731 – 4,873 (35.5%)

Carmelo Anthony is one of the best scorers of all time in terms of raw skill because he can get buckets while competing in the post or spotting up for jumpers. Standing 6’7” and weighing over 230 lbs, Anthony has the girth to use physicality but also the speed to make use of his size well. Despite playing for a few different teams, Anthony has been a solid three-point shooter as well.

The future Hall of Famer has made over 1,700 threes on over 4,800 attempts, so he is not the most efficient shooter. But he can make big ones, as we have seen over his career, especially with the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets. Anthony has a quick release, a ton of confidence, and will never have an issue shooting under 36% because that is just how he is built.

19. Eric Gordon – 1,749 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 1,749 – 4,721 (37.0%)

Eric Gordon has quietly formed a very solid career as an excellent two-way player. Starting out and building his name with the Los Angeles Clippers, Gordon has developed into a knockdown shooter with deep range and total confidence. He has also shot 37.0% from three, which is solid for a player who takes quite a lot of them. Gordon has made over 1,700 three-pointers so far, a very solid return.

The shooting guard has also developed the ability to drain very deep shots, a skill he began showing consistently as a member of the Houston Rockets. Of course, Stephen Curry has given players confidence to take very long shots, and Gordon is one of the players to adopt that mentality. So far, he ranks among the top 20 in terms of players who made the most threes over the last two decades.

18. Kevin Durant – 1,775 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 1,775- 4,626 (38.4%)

An all-time great scorer with an unstoppable skill set, Kevin Durant is also one of the best shooters ever. The 4-time scoring champion has an incredible three-point shot in his arsenal, shooting 38.4% from deep and also making over 1,700 threes in over 900 games. Durant should be much higher on the list of all-time threes made, but his unselfishness prevents him from scoring the ball more.

Still, Durant is one of the greats at stroking it from deep, even if his all-time makes and percentages are not comparable to other players on this list. If a coach had to draw up a play for one player to make a long-range shot, Durant’s name is one of the first that would come up immediately. The lengthy forward seems to be getting better with age as well because he continues to shoot at an elite level.

17. Wesley Matthews – 1,784 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 1,784- 4,725 (37.8%)

Wesley Matthews has been a consistent two-way player for most of his career, whether as a starter or coming off the bench. Matthews shot 37.8% from three over the last 20 years and did so while making over 1,700 three-point shots from the field. He has also been a consistent player on the court in terms of availability, competing in a ton of games with a host of some good teams.

Matthews has a pretty quick release and that allows him to make shots from the field even when the defense is scrambling to cover him. Wesley is not an All-Star player, but he can start games and do a job even at his age because his jumper is naturally effective. Shooting 37.8% from three is not a bad return.

16. Paul Pierce – 1,816 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 1,816- 4,948 (36.7%)

Paul Pierce is a Hall of Famer because of his elite offensive ability, make no mistake about that. As soon as his second season, the small forward was responsible for being a primary scoring option for the Boston Celtics. He answered the call by averaging at least 20 PPG for 8 seasons with Boston, making 10 All-Star Teams. Armed with a sniper of a mid-range jumper and a consistent three, Pierce was always a threat on the court from the perimeter.

Naturally, Pierce made a ton of three-pointers over his career. With a 3-point field goal percentage of 36.7%, Pierce normally answered the call because he was considered an above-average marksman. The Truth mastered the step-back jumper, even if it looked slow, and that allowed him to create space to drain threes more often than not.

15. Paul George – 1,857 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 1,857 – 4,862 (38.2%)

Paul George, a multiple-time All-Star who has played for the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Los Angeles Clippers, has been regarded as one of the top 20 players in the league thanks to his outstanding three-point shooting. Shooting over 38% from three is especially amazing in light of the fact that he also possesses a strong mid-range game and the ability to attack the hoop and finish.

Over the past twenty years, the swingman has taken a ton of three-pointers, making about 1,800 of them while playing for three different teams. George is regarded as a very good shooter and attained his efficiency through getting shots up off the dribble, coming off screens, and even making contested jumpers.

14. Klay Thompson – 1,918 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 1,918 – 4,603 (41.7%)

Klay Thompson, the “Splash Brother” of Stephen Curry at Golden State, is unquestionably one of the top five shooters in history. In terms of the total number of three-pointers made over the past ten years, he is also rated 14th among players. Because of his superstar teammate, Thompson doesn’t receive enough credit for being a reliable deep threat, but for a player who thrives at the three-point line, making 41.7% of his threes over the past ten years is actually outstanding.

The All-Star player is a fantastic mid-range scorer and can also score from other spots on the floor. But most fans and media will regard Klay behind Steph as the best to ever do it from the three-point line. It does not always look flashy, but Thompson has formed one of the best offensive games we have ever seen, even when he does not have to take a single dribble.

13. J.R. Smith – 1,930 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 1,930 – 5,178 (37.3%)

J.R. Smith is known for being an inconsistent shooter, but he actually shot over 37% over the last 20 years. The shooting guard has deep range, a quick release, and unlimited confidence. Sometimes, one wonders where he gets that kind of confidence. But Smith went 1,930-5,178 from beyond, excellent numbers considering he was a volume scorer.

J.R. ranks among the top 15 three-point shooters over the last two decades and was always able to make long-distance shots whether covered or not. It might make more sense now to realize why LeBron James wanted the shooting guard on his team during the Cleveland Cavaliers days, because having a shooter with a short memory is the greatest gift a facilitator can ever dream of.

12. J.J. Redick – 1,950 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 1,950 – 4,704 (41.5%)

One of the best three-point shooters in history must be JJ Redick. Coming off screens, releasing the ball quickly, and making shots at a high level are all skills he has mastered. Redick was a difficult player to defend against whether he was playing for the Philadelphia 76ers or the Los Angeles Clippers because the shooting guard was the greatest and he benefited from his All-Star teammates, including Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Joel Embiid, and Jimmy Butler.

Because of his very exceptional off-ball mobility, he was able to consistently shoot a high percentage of the field. Redick, who mainly contributed by making outside shots, was obviously not a big scorer in terms of shot creation. However, he excelled at his position during the past 20 years, and he has made more than 1,900 three-pointers as a result.

11. Kyle Lowry – 1,977 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 1,977 – 5,368 (36.8%)

After beginning his career in the NBA, Kyle Lowry gradually honed his three-point shooting skills to a very high level. As a result of his scoring, shooting, playmaking, and leadership skills, Kyle eventually developed into a multiple-time All-Star. He realized he had to improve his shooting consistency in order to obtain a starting position. Lowry is unquestionably much more than simply a three-point shooter, however, but it is a massive part of his game.

Over the past 20 years, Lowry shot 36.8% from three-point range while trying over 5,300 threes. For a point guard, it is a lot of shots to take, yet Lowry shot well enough to make more than 1,900 three-pointers which will work for a player who has generally been the second or third option for most of his career.

10. Joe Johnson – 1,978 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 1,978 – 5,331 (37.1%)

Joe Johnson is one of the best marksmen in recent memory because he could get shots up whenever he wanted and with regularity. Known as “Iso Joe”, Johnson could create good looks from the perimeter consistently and had the size at 6’7” and 240 lbs to push off and create space. For most of his career, Johnson was a primary or secondary scoring option as well.

Johnson almost made 2,000 three-pointers on over 5,300 attempts, a solid return for a shot-creator. When discussing the best scorers over the last two decades, Johnson’s name often gets left out, but he was clearly one of the best perimeter scorers we have seen. Unfortunately, he did not win enough to be a Hall of Fame candidate.

9. Vince Carter – 2,014 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 2,014 – 5,469 (36.8%)

Vince Carter established the Toronto Raptors as one of the most popular franchises in basketball because they were overlooked due to being located in Canada. However, the best dunker of all time set a precedent in Toronto, winning Rookie of the Year after scoring 18.3 PPG in his inaugural campaign. He soon developed into a very solid three-point shooter, using his deep range to make outside shots.

Once Carter became more than a dunker, his career took off and he became an impact scorer as well. A surefire Hall of Famer, Carter made 8 All-Star Teams and 2 All-NBA Teams by being a consistent outside shooter, averaging close to 37% from beyond, and playing a very long career. No doubt, when discussing the most consistent three-point shooters over the last twenty years, Carter’s name has to be in the discussion.

8. Jason Terry – 2,112 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 2,112 – 5,539 (38.1%)

Jason “The Jet” Terry made a career out of being a solid three-point shooter. The guard shot 38.1% from beyond and was invaluable for the Dallas Mavericks teams led by Dirk Nowitzki. The talented German was always being hounded by two defenders, which forced Terry to become an outside scorer which he did exceptionally well. Shooting 38.1% is a solid return, after all.

Terry was also a big shot-maker. Multiple times over his career, the guard was forced to create from distance and get the job done by swishing through buckets. He often had to do it on his own accord and had the confidence and skill to get it done. Over the last twenty years, Terry has made over 2,100 three-pointers which ranks him 8th among the players on this list.

7. LeBron James – 2,145 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 2,145 – 6,204 (34.6%)

LeBron James is often criticized for being an inconsistent shooter from deep, but he has managed to improve his ability to make outside shots over the past few years. The King is shooting only 34.6% from three but has made over 2,100 shots from beyond regardless. James understands how to adapt, and with the new wave of basketball, he has managed to prolong his career by taking more outside shots.

Quite frankly, in terms of making three-pointers from 35 feet and beyond, James has to be one of the best in the NBA right now. He has incredible strength that allows him to pull up easily, and he can make very deep shots look easy. But when he is not necessarily in a rhythm, The King does struggle to make threes. Still, LeBron ranks 6th all-time in three-pointers made which is a testament to his work ethic and willingness to adapt.

6. Damian Lillard – 2,149 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 2,149 – 5,772 (37.2%)

Damian Lillard is one of the best shooters of all time due to his unrestricted range, even though he does not have the highest percentage from the three-point range given that he has attempted more than 5,700 three-pointers in the past ten years. Lillard has no trouble taking shots in the most important circumstances and can practically sink contested shots from 35 feet. How many times has Lillard successfully pulled up from deep to win games for Portland?

Remember that Dame was the one who put an end to the Dwight Howard era in Houston as well as the Paul George experiment in Oklahoma City. But the point guard shooting 37% from the three is not bad at all when he has other methods of scoring the ball. So far, Lillard ranks among the top 10 in three-pointers made over the last 20 years.

5. Jamal Crawford – 2,180 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 2,180 – 6,262 (34.8%)

Jamal Crawford is a shot-creator, make no mistake about that. He was never the type of player to stand around the three-point line and wait for his point guard to feed him shots, rather, it was the opposite. Crawford was looking to create for himself most times than not, and that often meant nailing outside shots. The shooting guard was effective at drawing fouls also and is one of the pioneers of flailing to get free throws.

Crawford shot under 35% over the last twenty years, which isn’t great in the 3-point era, but he was still considered a very solid shooter. Of course, he took a lot of deep shots, which is why he was able to make so many, but nobody would ever sag off the talented scorer. The 3-time 6th Man of the Year currently ranks 5th on this list, quite amazingly.

4. Ray Allen – 2,274 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 2,274 – 5,681 (40.0%)

Ray Allen made history when he broke Reggie Miller’s record for most threes made because we never would have thought that a shooting guard could make more outside shots. Armed with a consistent jumper that was perfect in any situation, Ray Allen made over 2,200 three-pointers in his career as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat.

Allen was known to have practiced thousands of shots per week and made sure that he would get his jumper off in any in-game situation. He was a valuable member of the Celtics team that would win an NBA title and made arguably the biggest shot in playoff history when his corner three saved the Miami Heat in Game 6. Allen was proficient with his 40.0% average from three, and he is one of the greatest shooters in the history of basketball and 4th all-time over the last 20 years.

3. Kyle Korver – 2,450 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 2,450 – 5,715 (42.9%)

Running off screens and nailing jumpers is what Kyle Korver does best, and he did it better than almost every player in NBA history. Playing until his very late 30s, Korver had an incredibly long career after getting drafted with the No. 51 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. No one expected Korver to become an impactful player, because he was quite limited in athleticism and was not known for much other than shooting at a stand-still.

But the shooting guard/small forward made an entire career off his shooting gifts. Korver never needed the ball to be effective because he is one of the greatest shooters to ever grace the court when moving off the ball. The shooting guard ranks 5th all-time in threes made and 10th in 3-point percentage, extraordinary numbers for a guy who was a role player with a career average of 25.3 MPG.

2. James Harden – 2,599 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 2,600 – 7,198 (36.1%)

Although James Harden is not the NBA’s best shooter, he is unquestionably one of the greatest long-range scorers of all time. The Beard has been known to draw double teams from opposing teams and can generate his own shot from anywhere on the court. He is typically forced to transfer the ball to his teammates after being pushed off the three-point line. But because his dribble moves and step-back three-point jumper have evolved into the cornerstones of his game, it rarely helps.

Harden won’t stop shooting three-pointers, and will often draw fouls, whether or not the crowd likes it. The new “Harden” rules are in play, but it has not seemed to have slowed down the often flailing shooting guard. The Beard knows how to create space and drain the three-pointer, oftentimes with a free-throw coming. Only one man has made more threes than James over the last 20 years.

1. Stephen Curry – 3,126 Three-Pointers

3PA – 3PM: 3,126 – 7,314 (42.7%)

The greatest shooter of all time is, as one might guess, the man who owns the record for the most made threes. Currently, Ray Allen, who is in second place and retired in 2014, has made fewer threes than Stephen Curry. For the foreseeable future, Steph fundamentally transformed the game with his unrestricted range and ability to shoot from a long distance. Teams are scrambling to adopt this approach to the game because three counts more than two.

Over the course of his career, Steph has averaged 8.8 3-point attempts, which suggests that he may have the brightest green light in basketball history. Steph has a staggeringly efficient ten-year average of 10.0 3PA and a three-point percentage of 42.7%. Curry has without a doubt been the best shooter in the last 20 years and is the best of all time.

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