Shooting accurately from 3-point range is an incredibly valuable talent in the NBA. Here's a look at 20 of the most accurate 3-point shooters in history.
Credit: Fadeaway World
Three-point shooting is regarded as an important part of the game since it gives players the opportunity to gain quick points for their teams. A precise three-point shot is essential in winning scenarios in the modern era because three is always counted more than two, and coaches are drawing up spectacular plays to generate a high number of points. The most talented shooters typically have high three-point shooting percentages because even in today’s NBA, spread offenses and spacing with four or five shooters at a minimum is often required.
Certainly, whether we like it or not, the game has changed for good. We are seeing players follow Stephen Curry’s lead when it comes to hoisting up a ton of three-pointers every game, and that won’t change since better shooters are coming through the door. Gone are the days when physical dominance is required because if a player can shoot, he will always have a spot in the NBA. Of course, we are still seeing elite shooters right now, including Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, and Kevin Durant, let it loose from three time and time again.
But which players are the greatest three-point shooters of all time? Having seen the 20 greatest free-throw shooters ever, it is time to focus on the three-point shot. We have collected the 20 best three-point shooters ever, historically and current, based on their percentages from deep over their careers. While some names are expected, including some of the known greatest shooters alive, some other names could surprise you considering the fact that they played so long ago. At the same time, we might also see some current players on this list, which is always great to see.
Without further ado, here are the 20 best three-point shooters of all time based on career percentage.
20. Matt Bonner - 41.45%
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
1.0 - 2.4 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Total Three-Pointers:
797 - 1,923 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Known as the “Red Rocket,” Matt Bonner was nothing but a sharpshooter. The 6’10” big man had zero defensive ability, although it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Bonner just was not blessed with lateral quickness and that prevented him from playing significant minutes. Due to his inconsistent play, Matt Bonner was selected No. 45 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft.
Bonner started his career for two seasons with the Toronto Raptors before becoming a role player for the San Antonio Spurs for 10 seasons. Bonner actually made threes at a high level, nailing 41.45% from deep over his career. The power forward had eight seasons shooting at least 40% from three, so it is no surprise to see the player on this list among the top 20 shooters ever. As we will see throughout this list, Matt Bonner is a player who would have been more valuable in today’s game.
19. J.J. Redick- 41.45%
Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
2.1 - 5.0 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Total Three-Pointers:
1,950 - 4,704 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Despite being a role player for the entirety of his career, JJ Redick was one of the most impactful shooters in NBA history. The former Duke legend shot 41.5% from three over his career and ranks 15th in total threes made. It is amazing how Redick averaged 25.5 MPG in his career yet was able to make over 1,900 three-pointers.
The shooting guard played for 6 different franchises in his career, with the highlights of his career coming as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers. Redick averaged 17.6 PPG in two seasons with the 76ers on 40.7% shooting from three, and 15.8 PPG on 44.0% shooting with the Clippers. Everywhere Redick went, he was able to make an impact with his deep-range shooting and is one of the greatest players ever at coming off screens for jumpers.
18. Klay Thompson - 41.59%
Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
3.1 - 7.4
Total Three-Pointers:
2,202 - 5,299 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Is there any surprise seeing Klay Thompson, arguably one of the top three purest shooters ever, appear among the top twenty leaders in 3-point percentage? Klay shot a career 41.59% from deep and has been an iconic marksman because he is posting over seven three attempts per game, making 3.1 of them on average. So far, Thompson has attempted the 16th most threes in NBA history and before his career is up, he should be among the top ten.
Playing alongside Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant has minimized Klay’s attempts, and the player had to sacrifice his own numbers for the sake of the Golden State Warriors' success. Having four NBA championships to his name means far more than being mentioned among the top-ten shooters, although in terms of pure stroke and talent, Klay might be the second-greatest shooter ever behind Stephen Curry.
17. Anthony Morrow - 41.66%
Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
1.4 - 3.4 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Total Three-Pointers:
807 - 1,937 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Anthony Morrow had a solid 9-year career because he was such a proficient shooter. The 6’5” shooting guard was rather slender and not much of a defender, but he had a sniper of a jumper and shot nearly 42% from three over his career. His best season came in 2009 when he nailed 46.7% from deep which led the NBA percentage-wise.
Morrow also had four other seasons shooting at least 40% and shot under 37% once and that came in his final NBA season. The former shooter was not drafted by an NBA team but joined the Golden State Warriors for the 2008 NBA Summer League before signing with the franchise. No doubt, Morrow would have been a slightly more useful player had he played today and would have started for some teams due to his marksmanship.
16. Michael Porter Jr - 41.74%
Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
2.3 - 5.4 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Total Three-Pointers:
421 - 1,007 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Michael Porter Jr is just getting his career started as he has dealt with so many injuries over the first four seasons of his career. The swingman has yet to play a 65-game season as his appearances have been limited: 55, 61, 9, and 59 so far in 2023. However, when healthy, Porter Jr has been an elite shooter and certainly a confident one.
The former No. 14 overall pick is known to pull up from three-point land whenever chance he gets and seems to have the confidence to let it fly anytime he wants. Averaging 41.74% from deep is impressive and that is why he is such a critical player for the Denver Nuggets. When Porter Jr has not been in the lineup, the Nuggets have struggled so he will be needed for the team to reach the heights expected of them.
15. Wesley Person - 41.76%
Credit: NBA.com
Three-Pointers Per Game:
1.6 - 3.8 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Total Three-Pointers:
1,150 - 2,754 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Wesley Person never made an All-Star Team but he did make an All-Rookie selection when he posted 10.4 PPG on 43.6% from deep. Person was never a star all-around talent but he was a star when it came to making outside shots. Over his career, the 6’6” shooting guard and small forward never shot under 37% for a single season.
In fact, Person had eight seasons shooting over 40% from deep, meaning only three seasons came under that figure. From 1995 to 2005, the player was a consistent marksman which is why he managed to play an average of 28.3 MPG over his career. Finishing among the top-15 shooters ever is certainly impressive for the rather underrated player.
14. B.J. Armstrong - 42.49%
Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
0.6 - 1.4 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Total Three-Pointers:
436 - 1,026 (3PTM - 3PTA)
B.J. Armstrong played seven seasons with the Chicago Bulls and is mainly remembered for being a capable playmaker and scorer for the franchise. Armstrong made a single All-Star Team with the Bulls and also won three NBA titles with the franchise, making him an important player for the team. Many might fail to remember how good Armstong was at nailing three-point shots, however.
B.J. Armstrong averaged 42.49% from deep, an extremely high number for a player who mainly competed in the 1990s when the three-pointer was not an important strategy. Armstrong had a perfect jumper because it was one form at all times and he never wavered no matter who was in front of him.
13. Desmond Bane - 42.61%
Credit: Christine Tannous-USA TODAY Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
2.5 - 5.9 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Total Three-Pointers:
500 - 1,172 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Desmond Bane is already one of the greatest marksmen of all time, even if he has only played three seasons in the league at only 24 years old. The shooter is posting 42.61% from deep over his career and has clearly made an impact for the rising Memphis Grizzlies team led by Ja Morant. Bane is one of the best modern sidekicks you can get because he competes on defense and has a sniper of a jumper.
Amazingly, Bane knows how he can impact the Grizzlies' side naturally because he is attempting a shade under six three-pointers per season. Despite attempting so many threes, Desmond is making a high percentage and has the green light to take any look he wants. Bane is a player who helps Memphis win games so he has had a great start to his career.
12. Stephen Curry - 42.76%
Credit: David Butler II/USA Today Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
3.8 - 9.0 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Total Three-Pointers:
3,376 - 7,899 (3PTM - 3PTA)
The greatest shooter of all time is ranked 12th in league history in all-time three-point percentage. How in the world does that make sense? Because there is no doubt that he is the greatest shooter ever because he could make shots that hardly any other player could from deep. But the reason his percentages are lower than other players is that he attempts so many of them, a whopping 9.0 attempts for his career. In fact, Curry has averaged over 10 attempts per game for six seasons.
By taking so many long-range shots, mainly because it is the strongest aspect of his game, Curry averages more misses. Otherwise, the point guard would have been number one with ease because his shooting mechanics cannot be taught. Steph is also the best shooter in NBA history because he can make contested shots from deep consistently and can drain them from beyond 35 feet.
11. Steve Nash - 42.78%
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
1.4 - 3.2 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Total Three-Pointers:
1,685 - 3,939 (3PTM - 3PTA)
One of the greatest floor generals of all time, Steve Nash was also an underrated scorer thanks to his long-range shooting and efficiency. The point guard could create a shot for anyone on the floor but could also drain his outside shots with a perfect jumper at any time. The two-time consecutive MVP is 11th in all-time three-point percentage despite taking less than 4000 threes in his Hall of Fame career.
Nash should have shot the ball more because he was proficient from anywhere on the court as well. The Canadian superstar shot 49.0% from the field in his career, including 42.8% from three and 90.4% from the free-throw line. Averaging close to 50-40-90 from the field over a career is beyond sublime which is why Nash is easily one of the best shooters to have ever graced the court.
10. Kyle Korver - 42.87%
Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
2.0 - 4.6 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Total Three-Pointers:
2,450 - 5,715 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Kyle Korver built an entire career off of being a three-point shooter, and he did it with the best of them. Korver never shot under 37% per season in his entire career, along with incredible averages of 53.6% (2010), 49.2% (2015), and 47.2% (2014). Korver moved terrifically off the ball and his stroke was automatic time and time again. Because of his shooting alone, Korver made the All-Star Team in 2015 as a member of the Atlanta Hawks.
Kyle managed to play in the league until he was 38 years old, an incredible feat over 17 years of experience. The wing player came into the NBA as the No. 51 overall pick, and not much was expected of him although he improved as he aged. By the time he was in his 30s, Kyle Korver was an extremely valuable role player because of his deep-range shooting ability.
9. Steve Novak - 43.01%
Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sport
Three-Pointers Per Game:
1.2 - 2.9 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Total Three-Pointers:
575 - 1,337 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Steve Novak was on the court for one thing and that was shooting the ball. He was not a valuable contributor as a passer, defender, or rebounder at his size but was an absolute marksman of the highest order. Starting his career with the Houston Rockets, Novak started making a name for himself when he averaged 47.9% shooting from deep in his second NBA season. After a few trips across different teams, Novak found another great home with the New York Knicks.
Playing for the Knicks in 2012, Novak led the NBA in 3-point percentage (47.2%) despite only playing 18.9 MPG. Ranking 9th all-time in three-point shooting is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, and the player would have been an even better player had he played today. At 6’10”, Novak could nail outside shots consistently and see over defenders so he would be invaluable in 2023.
8. Tim Legler - 43.12%
Credit: HoopsHype
Three-Pointers Per Game:
0.8 - 1.9 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Three-Pointers Total:
260 - 603 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Current basketball analyst Tim Legler is one of the best in the business at explaining the game to fans on television. But as a player, he was a terrific shooter and was always consistent with his stroke. The guard had his best season as a professional during the 1996 season with the Washington Bullets when he shot an incredible 52.2% through 77 appearances on the court, a season after posting 52.0% the season prior.
These two seasons spiked Legler’s percentages so high that he could afford to have four seasons shooting under 35% and still make the top-10 list. The player only had 310 appearances in the NBA, but he showed what he could do at spacing the floor. Legler knows what he is talking about when he analyzes basketball, but he also knew how to make three-pointers during his prime.
7. Jason Kapono - 43.36%
Three-Pointers Per Game:
0.9 - 2.1 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Three-Pointers Total:
457 - 1,054 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Chosen No. 31 overall in 2003, Jason Kapono never averaged above 10.9 PPG for a season and had a career average of 6.7 PPG. But the reason he played over 500 games in the NBA was because of his three-point shooting, which led him to win two straight 3-Point Contests as a member of the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat. Kapono also led the NBA in three-point shooting twice.
The first time Jason led the league in three-point shooting was in 2007 with the Miami Heat, where he shot 51.4% from three and won his first 3-Point Contest. The second came in 2008 with the Toronto Raptors, where he shot 48.3% from three and also won his second straight 3-Point Contest. Kapono was 6’8”, so he had the height to shoot over defenses when he had enough space and was one of his generation’s best shooters.
6. Luke Kennard - 43.49%
Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
1.9 - 4.3 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Three-Pointers Total:
665 - 1,529 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Luke Kennard has flown under the radar in recent seasons but he is an absolutely elite shooter. The shooting guard is quick to come off screens and also nail outside shots consistently, which is why he has found himself on two title-contending squads with the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies. At only 26 years old, he still has an entire career ahead of him.
Kennard is posting 43.49% from deep over his career so far, an elite number for a player who is averaging 23.2 MPG. Kennard has played seven seasons in the league, posting under 40% shooting in a season twice (39.4% and 39.9%). At this rate, Luke will end up becoming one of the top-three shooters in NBA history and the Memphis Grizzlies will certainly be happy to have him spotting up from the perimeter.
5. Seth Curry - 43.55%
Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
1.9 - 4.3 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Three-Pointers Total:
820 - 1,883 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Seth Curry, Stephen Curry’s younger brother, is actually shooting a higher percentage than his superstar sibling. Seth ranks fifth all-time with a 43.55% shooting average from deep. With Steph and to a lesser extent Dell Curry, getting all of the recognition as a player, Seth often flies under the radar as a shooter. But Seth has the shooter’s genes flowing through him, nailing close to 45% of the three-pointers that he takes in his career.
Similar to his brother, Seth has a quick release and while he cannot create his own offense like Steph, he is arguably just as effective if not more deadly when open. Curry has found a spot on some title-contending teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers because he fits the bill as a shooting guard who can be trusted to get hot from the perimeter.
4. Joe Harris - 43.71%
Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Three-Pointers Per Game:
2.1 - 4.8 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Three-Pointers Total:
1,005 - 2,299 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Joe Harris is averaging a career 43.57% from three, a number that is very impressive for a former No. 33 overall pick. Harris showed some shooting promise in his rookie season, draining 36.9% of his threes in only 9.7 MPG. But after he was acquired by Brooklyn in his third season, Harris took off as a shooter.
The shooting guard shot 38.5% from three in his first season in Brooklyn and would nail over 40% from three over his next four seasons. Brooklyn’s sharpshooter also led the NBA in shooting percentage, draining 47.4% in 2019 and also 47.5% in 2021. Only a player like Joe Harris in the modern NBA controls a $75 million contract which leads to wondering how former players could have fared today.
3. Drazen Petrovic - 43.74%
Credit: Getty Images
Three-Pointers Per Game:
0.9 - 2.0 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Three-Pointers Total:
255 - 583 (3PTM - 3PTA)
One of the greatest players whose career was cut far too short, Drazen Petrovic was more than just a European sensation in the NBA. He is also one of the most gifted shooters we have ever seen, nailing almost 44% of his threes over four professional seasons in the league. A career (and life) cut short by a tragic accident, old heads rave about how good Petrovic was as a scoring guard.
The talented guard had elite handles, shooting ability, and a basketball IQ that was second to none at the time. Competing mainly in the early 1990s, we did not see enough of the Croatian, but he is without a doubt one of the best marksmen ever and it is no surprise he ranks among the top three in 3-point percentage.
2. Hubert Davis - 44.09%
Credit: ebay.com
Three-Pointers Per Game:
1.1 - 2.4 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Three-Pointers Total:
728 - 1,651 (3PTM - 3PTA)
A shooting guard that played for six teams over his career, Hubert Davis was always known for his proficiency as a sharpshooter. Drafted No. 20 overall in the 1992 NBA Draft, Davis is not a name that many fans will immediately recognize. He would finish his career in 2004 and had a resume that included 10 seasons shooting over 40% from the three-point line.
Very few players had the consistency that Hubert Davis had, which was the main reason the rather limited player had so many opportunities to play. Only one can imagine how effective Davis would be in today’s game because he never averaged at least four attempts for a season. A marksman who was born to shoot, Davis would have been a stalwart on some NBA teams these days.
1. Steve Kerr - 45.40%
Credit: Fadeaway World
Three-Pointers Per Game:
0.8 - 1.8 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Three-Pointers Total:
726 - 1,599 (3PTM - 3PTA)
Steve Kerr was never an All-Star or even a dominant player in his time but he did have an elite three-point percentage. The five-time NBA champion leads all players in 3-point shooting at 45.40%, an incredible number that will be hard for any player to reach. Even when Kerr became a Hall of Fame head coach, players under him such as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant were not able to shoot over 45% from three.
Kerr was a master at taking his opportunities and making defenses pay for sagging off him. The guard did benefit from playing on some all-time great teams including the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls and Tim Duncan-led San Antonio Spurs, so he had plenty of opportunities to shoot the ball from deep and get consistent open looks. As it stands, the current Golden State Warriors coach is the greatest three-point shooter ever based on career percentage.
Post a Comment
0 Comments