When it comes to naming the greatest three-point shooters in basketball history, legendary point guard Stephen Curry easily takes the title as the best of the best. Out of anyone in the game, his mastery of the three-pointer is the most undeniable, and everyone agrees that there’s nothing that can match it.
Deciding which players come after him, however, is much more debatable. While some would argue for Ray Allen or Reggie Miller, Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard has himself in the spot, given his own historic career.
Yes I would. https://t.co/ASPoUWC8xA
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) May 29, 2026
The rise of the three-pointer is still a relatively new phenomenon, and it was Stephen Curry who helped usher in the new era. His dominance in 2015 and 2016 gave the blueprint for success in the modern NBA, and it wasn’t long before other teams and players began to replicate the formula.
What many fans like to forget is that Damian Lillard broke out at roughly the same time as Steph did. While his Blazers may not have had the success the Warriors did, he was still able to help set a new standard for shooting in the modern NBA. In the process, he became the Trail Blazers’ all-time leading scorer with career averages of 25.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 43.9% shooting and 37.1% shooting from three over 13 years. He’s also a nine-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA player.
With 2,804 three-pointers to his name, Damian Lillard is currently fourth on the all-time list, falling behind Curry, James Harden, Ray Allen, and Klay Thompson. For career three-pointers per game, Lillard ranks third all-time with an average of 3.12, trailing only Steph Curry and Luka Doncic.
The only thing that really hurts Dame’s case is his all-time three-point shooting percentage, which sits at 37.1%. Compare that to Steph, who is shooting 42.2% for his career, and the difference is obvious. Ray Allen, for example, was a career 40.0% shooter from three, while Reggie Miller shot a respectable 39.5% over 18 years.
In his defense, aside from Curry and Doncic, Lillard is shooting more threes, which partially explains his lower percentage. Plus, in terms of pure skill, Lillard has a deeper range and is better than his peers when shooting in the mid-range or off the dribble. So, despite having never advanced past the Western Conference Finals, Lillard’s legacy as one of the greatest shooters ever is well-earned, and he reminded everyone who he is during All-Star weekend this year, when he won the three-point shootout. The best part for Lillard is that he’s not even done yet.
At 35 years old, Dame’s best days are behind him now, and he hasn’t seen real action in a full season. Still, he’s already preparing for his NBA comeback, and it will only add to his illustrious resume. In the end, we know that Lillard will never surpass Steph in terms of shooting, but he’s satisfied with his standing as one of the best offensive guards in modern NBA history and the face of Trail Blazers basketball.
