10 NBA Scorers And Their Best 3-Point Shooting Season: Michael Jordan Is Surprisingly 3rd

Obviously, the three-point shot is the most valuable tool in today’s game. Teams and players are looking to hoist up as many three-pointers as possible because counting by threes instead of twos is the best way to generate points against opponents. Most players are average three-point shooters, but the very elite are able to score the ball from deep at a very efficient level. With elite shooters generating points from beyond, their teams are benefitting from the modern style of basketball.

It is time to look at 10 of the most renowned scorers of their generations and uncover their greatest season in terms of three-point shooting percentage. While most of these players were not competing in the modern era at their primes, there are some players on this list that are currently playing in the league and enjoying the spread-style offenses. It is time to uncover the best shooting seasons of some of the best scorers in NBA history, and there might be some impressive returns by some unexpected stars. It is important to note that only seasons with at least 50 games played at a minimum will be considered by each of these players.

Allen Iverson – 34.5% 3PT

3-PT Stats: 34.5% 3PT, 95-275 3PM-3PA (2007-08 NBA Season)

Season Stats: 26.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 7.1 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 45.8% FG, 34.5% 3-PT FG, 80.9% FT

Allen Iverson was never anything but an average three-point shooter at best. He could make deep threes when he was on a roll, but most times, he was extremely streaky and did most of his damage from mid-range or around the basket. Armed with quick handles and blistering speed, The Answer could get to anywhere he wanted to go on the court and did not need to rely on the three-point shot. But his best season came in 2008, his second season with the Denver Nuggets.

Playing alongside another ball-dominant scorer in Carmelo Anthony, Iverson was able to make shots from deep at a slightly higher level than before. Shooting 34.5% from three as a career-high isn’t great, but it was still enough for Iverson to earn a solid 26.4 PPG average. The Nuggets were an exciting team to watch thanks to Iverson and Carmelo sharing the court, and that 2007-08 season was Iverson’s best in terms of making three-point shots.

Kobe Bryant – 38.3% 3PT

3-PT Stats: 38.3% 3PT, 124-324 3PM-3PA (2002-03 NBA Season)

Season Stats: 30.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.9 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Kobe Bryant is a volume shooter, meaning he needs to take a ton of shots to get his rhythm going. But when he gets going, he is impossible to stop, as evidenced by the time he drained 12 three-pointers in a single game. In a nutshell, Bryant is not a natural three-point shooter and is more of a mid-range assassin and an all-around superstar offensive scorer. But he could make threes, as evidenced during the 2003 season when he shot 38.3% from deep for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bryant averaged 30.0 PPG during the season and benefited by making 1.5 threes out of 4.0 attempted on average. The superstar shooting guard had the knack for scoring from deep, especially when his superstar teammate Shaquille O’Neal was generating a ton of attention down low. Bryant was solid all year long, and he probably should have attempted more three-pointers considering how his jumper looked. Amazingly, the 2003 season was one of four in which Bryant shot at least 35% from deep.

James Harden – 39.0% 3PT

3-PT Stats: 39.0% 3PT, 114-292 3PM-3PA (2011-12 NBA Season)

Stats: 16.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 49.1% FG, 39.0% 3-PT FG, 84.6% FT

James Harden is a tremendous talent and has to be ranked among the 75 greatest players that ever lived. The Beard is a special offensive player thanks to his basketball IQ and elite ball-handling ability, and his offense has been incredible over the past few seasons. He is a dominant player when he attacks the rim, can make free throws and has the size to absorb contact and finish. But he can also focus on a heavy three-point style of play, as evidenced by the fact that Harden has attempted at least 7 three-point attempts for 6 seasons. He even averaged 13.2 attempts per game during the 2019 season.

In terms of efficiency, Harden’s three-point shooting is often a polarizing topic. His best season came in 2012 as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder when he shot 39.0% of his three-point attempts. Harden only attempted 4.7 three-pointers during the season, and he most likely should have taken more considering how efficient he was. As the 6th man of the team, Harden was effective on offense and did not have the scoring load that he has had over the past few seasons. That likely helped his efficiency. So far, Harden has a decent career average of 36.1% from deep over his career. Considering how many threes he attempts, it is natural that his efficiency is not off the charts great. 

Damian Lillard – 40.1% 3PT

3-PT Stats: 40.1% 3PT, 270-674 3PM-3PA (2019-20 NBA Season)

Season Stats: 30.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 8.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 46.3% FG, 40.1% 3-PT FG, 88.8% FT

Damian Lillard is an iconic three-point shooter, mainly due to his incredible range. We have seen Lillard drain shots with exceptional range, including the famous game-winner over Paul George in the NBA playoffs that ended the Oklahoma City Thunder’s playoff run. The point guard is also regarded as an all-time great scorer from the point guard position, a reason why he made the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

Lillard has shot at least 40% from the three-point line once in his career, and it came in 2020 when he averaged 40.1% from deep. Thanks to his spectacular three-point shooting, Lillard averaged a career-high 30.0 PPG. Dame was also spectacular from the floor as a whole, nailing 46.3% from the field and 88.8% from the stripe. A point guard with elite athleticism and deep range, Lillard is truly a special talent and an all-time great player for the Portland Trail Blazers.

LeBron James – 40.6% 3PT

3-PT Stats: 40.6% 3PT, 103-254 3PM-3PA (2012-13 NBA Season)

Season Stats: 26.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 56.5% FG, 40.6% 3-PT FG, 75.3% FT

LeBron James is often criticized for being an inconsistent shooter. But still, he shoots a higher career 3-point percentage than elite scorers such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Obviously, that is because The King has played in the modern era where the three-point shot is the main form of attack. Coming into the league, James was a bad shooter and has developed into a capable perimeter scorer when the lane is not open for him to attack.

The King has shot at least 40% once in his career, and it came in 2013 as a member of the Miami Heat. James was spectacular on the court, posting elite numbers across the board, including an incredible 56.5% from the field and 40.6% from three. If he would have improved his free-throw shooting, he could have had an all-time great season in terms of efficiency. But still, James managed to make enough threes to get a solid shooting percentage.

Carmelo Anthony – 40.9% 3PT

3-PT Stats: 40.9% 3PT, 133-325 3PM-3PA (2020-21 NBA Season)

Season Stats: 13.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 42.1% FG, 40.9% 3-PT FG, 89.0% FT

Carmelo Anthony is yet another elite scorer who is not considered a natural shooter from the arc. But the superstar forward has managed to shoot at least 40% from three on two different occasions, the first time with the New York Knicks (40.2% in 2014) and the second time with the Portland Trail Blazers in his comeback season in 2021 (40.9%). Anthony accepted becoming a spot-up shooter and did it exceptionally well for the Trail Blazers.

Carmelo has actually 7 seasons of shooting at least 37% from three, a solid percentage for a volume scorer. So when compared to other volume scorers, Anthony is actually a very solid three-point shooter. In his prime, Anthony could rise over defenders, and even today, he has a quick release with full confidence that every shot he takes will go in. No doubt about it, the 2021 season was an exceptional one for Carmelo when it comes to three-point shooting.

Kevin Durant – 42.2% 3PT

3-PT Stats: 42.2% 3PT, 97-230 3PM-3PA (2008-09 NBA Season)

Season Stats: 25.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 6.5 APG, 2.8 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 47.6% FG, 42.2% 3-PT FG, 86.3% FT

Kevin Durant is one of the greatest scorers of all time, capturing 4 scoring titles in his career and having arguably the most unstoppable offensive arsenal of all time. The superstar is efficient from everywhere on the floor and makes shots look easy due to his incredible height and length. Amazingly, Durant has shot under 37% only 4 times in 14 years in the NBA. He also has 5 seasons shooting at least 40%.

Durant’s best season from the three-point line, with 50 games played minimum, came in 2009 as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder when he shot 42.2%. That is an amazing number for a score-first player who averaged 25.3 PPG during the year, and he ranks 4th among the ten players we have selected on this list. No doubt about it, Durant has to be ranked among the 10 greatest pure shooters in NBA history, regardless of shooting percentages even if they act in his favor. His shooting stroke is simply too pure for defenders to have a chance at contesting it on most occasions.

Michael Jordan – 42.7% 3PT

3-PT Stats: 42.7% 3PT, 111-260 3PM-3PA (1995-96 NBA Season)

Season Stats: 30.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 49.5% FG, 42.7% 3-PT FG, 83.4% FT

Michael Jordan’s 32.7% shooting percentage from deep does not tell the entire story of his perimeter ability. He played in the late 1980s and 1990s when the three-point shot was not considered a weapon. Instead, scoring inside the paint and even from mid-range was the norm. But still, even without the presence of the three-point shot across the league, Jordan shot 42.7% from three during the 1996 season in which he eventually won his 4th NBA championship and 4th Finals MVP award.

The superstar shooting guard only managed to shoot at least 40% from three once in his career, and that 1996 season was truly special. That was the first full season Jordan played in following his return to the NBA, as he only played 17 games in 1995 and even managed to shoot 50.0% from three. Amazingly, Jordan only attempted 3.2 threes per game on average in 1996, and he probably should have taken more considering how efficient he was. As expected, Michael averaged 30.4 PPG during the year, which marked his 8th scoring title. If Jordan played in the modern era, make no mistake, he would be an above-average three-point shooter because he would have perfected the shot.

Reggie Miller – 42.9% 3PT

3-PT Stats: 42.9% 3PT, 164-382 3PM-3PA (1997-98 NBA Season)

Season Stats: 19.5 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 47.7% FG, 42.9% 3-PT FG, 86.8% FT

Before Stephen Curry (and Klay Thompson) came along, Reggie Miller was considered the best shooter of all time. Miller’s off-ball movement was incredible, and he always found a way to get his deep-range shots off over his illustrious career. An all-time great clutch player, Reggie was known to make shots to keep his team in games where they should be losing and also make game-winners. The three-point shot was his greatest weapon.

Amazingly, Miller only attempted at least 6 threes per game once in his career, and it came in 1997. Had he played today, Reggie would have attempted at least 12 three-pointers per game and would have made a living coming off screens. His best season shooting the three came in 1998 when he shot 42.9% for the Indiana Pacers at age 32. This season also marked Miller’s 4th All-Star appearance, and he ranks 2nd among the ten players we have chosen on this list.

Stephen Curry – 45.4% 3PT

3-PT Stats: 45.4% 3PT, 402-886 3PM-3PA (2015-16 NBA Season)

Season Stats: 30.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.7 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 50.4% FG, 45.4% 3-PT FG, 90.8% FT

Is there any surprise who is number one among the selection of ten scorers? Stephen Curry is the single greatest shooter we have ever seen, and his 45.4% shooting from deep is truly exceptional when he is taking so many of them. The point guard shot 45.4% from three in the 2015-16 season for the Golden State Warriors, the same year the squad went on to shatter the team record set by the Chicago Bulls.

Curry was at the heart of it, clearly, because his deep-range shooting was off the charts great. Adding in 30.1 PPG and 6.7 APG, Curry was exceptional for the Golden State Warriors all year long as he even managed to shoot 50-40-90 all year long. If Curry would have added the championship at the end of the year instead of blowing a 3-1 lead, this could have been one of the greatest seasons in NBA history. Still, Curry outranks the likes of Reggie Miller, Michael Jordan, and Kevin Durant to have the best single-season three-point percentage among this list of all-time great scorers.

Next

25 NBA Legends And Superstars Career-Highs In Points: Wilt Chamberlain Holds The Record With 100 Points, Kobe Bryant Is No. 2 With 81 Points

Michael Jordan’s Career-High Against Every NBA Team: The GOAT Destroyed The Cleveland Cavaliers

Kobe Bryant vs. Stephen Curry Career Highs Comparisons

Phil Jackson’s All-Time Team vs. Gregg Popovich’s All-Time Team: Who Would Win A 7-Game Series?

The Most Points Scored In A Playoff Game By Tiers: Michael Jordan’s 63-Point Performance Is Still Untouchable