22. Mike Miller
Three-pointers made: 1,590 (22nd all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 3,910
Three-point percentage: 40.7%
The 2001 NBA Rookie of The Year reinvented himself as a player on several occasions, but the most effective version of Miller was when he was shooting the basketball from the outside. 22nd all-time in three-pointers made and 23rd in percentage is the reason Miller was able to sustain his level of play for the seven different franchises he played for. And if you can make a three on one shoe like Miller infamously did in the 2014 NBA Finals, you deserve a spot on this list.
21. Jason Kapono
Three-pointers made: 457
Three-pointers attempted: 1,054
Three-point percentage: 43.4%
UCLA’s all-time leader in three-point percentage was a three-point specialist during his nine-year career that included stops in Miami, Toronto and Philadelphia. One of the most impressive three-point contestants we’ve ever seen, Kapono won the event in back-to-back years with scores of 24 and 25 out of a possible 30. Having only averaged 6.7 points per game throughout his career, Kapono is the prime example of not having to be a great overall player to be a great shooter.
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20. Allan Houston
Three-pointers made: 1,305 (43rd all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 3,247
Three-point percentage: 40.2%
Houston could fill up the score-sheet in a hurry, and the three-point shot was his most efficient weapon. A career 40 percent shooter from downtown, Houston was the best outside scorer for the Knicks during their deep playoff runs in the 90’s.
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19. Dirk Nowitzki
Three-pointers made: 1,918 (11th all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 4,668
Three-point percentage: 38.3%
Standing at just about 7-feet tall, Nowitzki is widely considered the greatest big man shooter to ever grace the court. Nowitzki’s high release point and deep range has given defenders fits since he’s been in the league. While he does a majority of his work from the mid-range, his three-point shot is what separates him from the rest of the power forwards in the league.
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18. Jeff Hornacek
Three-pointers made: 828
Three-pointers attempted: 2,055
Three-point percentage: 40.3%
New York’s former head coach was also a dead-eye shooter during his career that spanned 14 seasons. Hornacek flirted with the 50-40-90 club on several occasions, and was consistently near the top of the league leaders in three-point percentage. Getting open looks from greats like John Stockton, Karl Malone, Tom Chambers and Kevin Johnson helps, but you still have to make the shot, which Hornacek did time and time again.
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17. Mitch Richmond
Three-pointers made: 1,326 (40th all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 3,419
Three-point percentage: 38.8%
There’s something to be said for a player that is efficient from three while being the number one scoring option on his team. Richmond was a prolific scorer from every spot on the court, but when teams were worried about him getting to the basket, he burned them from the outside. He could create for himself, come off screens, or fire away in transition. In his heyday, Richmond could do it all, and was one of the best three-point bombers in the league.
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16. Chris Mullin
Three-pointers made: 815
Three-pointers attempted: 2,120
Three-point percentage: 38.4%
Richmond was great, but not even considered the best shooter of the famed Run-TMC trio. That distinction would belong to Mullin, a sweet-shooting lefty that could get his shot off whenever he wanted to. A lightning quick release accompanied with deep range made Mullin a tough guard each and every night. He didn’t attempt many due to his skills in other areas, but when Mullin started heating up from the outside, he could put up points in bunches.
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15. Mark Price
Three-pointers made: 976
Three-pointers attempted: 2,428
Three-point percentage: 40.2%
Price regularly lit up scoreboards throughout his illustrious career. The longtime Cleveland point guard paved the way for guards that could fill up stat sheets in a number of ways, and he was able to do that because of the threat of his outside shot. Although it looks rather pedestrian compared to the numbers we see today, at the time, Price was hoisting a high-volume of three point shots and converting on a comparably efficient clip. Also one of the best free-throw shooters in league history, Price was automatic from all spots on the floor.
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14. Craig Hodges
Three-pointers made: 563
Three-pointers attempted: 1,408
Three-point percentage: 40.0%
An impressive 3-time NBA three-point contest winner, Hodges is arguably the most overlooked shooter in recent history. Equipped with a funky jump shot and short in stature, the former Chicago Bull dominated three-point contests in the early 90’s. He also wasn’t bad during actual games either, as he shot a solid 40 percent from the outside throughout his career. He wasn’t quite as prolific of a shooter as others on this list, but a three-peat in a contest that hosts the NBA’s best shooters justifies his place on this list.
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13. Steve Kerr
Three-pointers made: 726
Three-pointers attempted: 1,599
Three-point percentage: 45.4%
The NBA’s all-time leader in three-point percentage, Kerr used fortuitous situations and dead-eye shooting to build a great career. Playing with greats like Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan and Scottie Pippen was the perfect recipe for Kerr, as he was more of an off-guard than a point guard despite his smaller frame. Posting multiple seasons in which he shot better than 50 percent from the three-point line, Kerr played a big part in five separate NBA title runs.
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12. Larry Bird
Three-pointers made: 649
Three-pointers attempted: 1,727
Three-point percentage: 37.6%
One of the very best to ever play the game, Bird was just as good at shooting as we was at everything else on a basketball court. Known for his unorthodox form, Larry Legend was an impossible match-up because of the threat of his outside game. With three three-point shootout victories and countless clutch threes, Bird will be on this list for decades to come.
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11. Glen Rice
Three-pointers made: 1,559 (23rd all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 3,896
Three-point percentage: 40.0%
The smooth-shooting wing from Michigan currently ranks 23rd all-time in three pointers made and virtually only trails players that came into the league after he did. Rice was a trailblazer for the three-point shot in the 90’s and was the premier outside shooter for the majority of his career. His 6-foot-8 frame made it easier for him to get good looks over smaller defenders and his high release made him almost impossible to block. He paved the way for today’s brand of three-point focused basketball, showing the league just how effective it could be.
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10. J.J. Redick
Three-pointers made: 1,464 (30th all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 3,524
Three-point percentage: 41.5%
One of the greatest to ever don a Blue Devil uniform, it took some time for Redick to adapt to the NBA game. He started off a bit shaky in Orlando, but found his footing and has quickly evolved into an elite shooter today. His shot is perfection, and should be featured on videotapes teaching young players how to shoot for the rest of time. What truly separates him though is how effective he is off the ball, a necessary trait for any great shooter. With an unlimited gas tank, quick feet, and deadly range, J.J. Redick has carved out an impressive career for himself.
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9. Dale Ellis
Three-pointers made: 1,719 (17th all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 4,266
Three-point percentage: 40.3%
Arguably the best pure shooter of the 80’s, Ellis was an absolute nightmare to defend on the perimeter. Quick as a hiccup and a high release point gave Ellis the edge en route to over 1,700 total three-pointers made. His best season came in 1989 when he converted 162 threes at just under a 48 percent clip – an impressive season from an efficiency/volume perspective by any era’s standards.
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8. Kyle Korver
Three-pointers made: 2,213 (4th all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 5,130
Three-point percentage: 43.1%
With each passing year, somehow, some way, Korver continues to get better. Seemingly ageless, Korver has torched teams from the outside for more than a decade and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. His trademark is his efficiency, as he currently stands at a career 43 percent clip from behind the line. His breakout 2015 season in which he hit 221 threes at a remarkable 49 percent clip is a level of proficiency we may never see again.
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7. Klay Thompson
Three-pointers made: 1,557 (24th all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 3,691
Three-point percentage: 42.2%
The second Splash Brother doesn’t always get the credit he deserves, but when he gets hot from beyond the arc, everybody tunes in. His picture perfect release should be enshrined on its own merits one day, and has helped him to some huge moments – a 60-point performance against the Pacers in 2016 and a 37-point third quarter outburst against the Kings in 2015. He can come off screens or shoot off the bounce, and rarely has to set his feet to make it a good shot. Doing all of this while defending the opposing team’s best perimeter player, Klay is trending up and should crack the top 5 before he calls it quits.
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6. Dražen Petrović
Three-pointers made: 255
Three-pointers attempted: 583
Three-point percentage: 43.7%
A career cut short due to an unfortunate car crash, Petrović could have been the owner of every NBA three-point record. A European basketball sensation, Petrović blazed the trail for international players by joining the NBA. He was able to showcase his skills to the league and to the world in his two impressive seasons with the Nets. The Croatian was able to catch the eye of all-time great Reggie Miller, who has stated on numerous occasions that Petrović was the best shooter he’s ever faced. That sort of high praise from one of the best shooters ever has to count for something.
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5. Peja Stojaković
Three-pointers made: 1,760 (16th all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 4,392
Three-point percentage: 40.1%
Central Europe really has made some of the greatest shooters we’ve ever seen, but none better than the 6-foot-9 Croatian, Peja Stojaković. Stojaković’s sharpshooting skills were evident from his early years in Sacramento. He was an excellent foul shooter, automatic from inside the line, and an absolute sniper from beyond the arc. Teams changed the way they looked at wing players after Stojaković’s success with the Kings. Had he been born a few years later, his game would have translated perfectly to today’s style of play.
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4. Steve Nash
Three-pointers made: 1,685 (18th all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 3,939
Three-point percentage: 42.8%
A premium card member of the 50-40-90 club, Nash is one of the best all-around shooters we’ve ever seen. As good from the free-throw line as he was behind the arc, Nash was a great scorer that didn’t get as much credit as he deserved because of how great of a playmaker he was. Consistently among the league’s best in three-point shooting percentage, the future Hall of Famer made a career out of his excellent vision and exceptional ability to shoot the basketball.
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3. Reggie Miller
Three-pointers made: 2,560 (2nd all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 6,486
Three-point percentage: 39.5%
One of the league’s all-time great clutch shooters, Miller almost always seemed to come through when the game was on the line. Miller’s jump-shot wasn’t exactly what they teach you in the textbooks – his elbow was flared out, he landed differently every time, and his release almost looked like he let it go with both hands. However, there’s no arguing the fact that it worked just fine for him. Sitting at No. 2 all-time for three-pointers made, Miller made a career for himself hitting big time shots from the outside.
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2. Ray Allen
Three-pointers made: 2,973 (1st all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 7,429
Three-point percentage: 40.0%
Allen truly did it all on the court, from defending top perimeter players to finishing around the basket in traffic. But no matter how impressive of an all-around player Allen was, the most significant trait he will always be remembered for was his beautiful jump shot. If you search “Ray Allen” on any platform, the first page of results will be littered with clutch threes he made throughout his career. His biggest moment was undoubtedly the three he made that sent Game 6 of the 2014 NBA Finals into overtime, and is truly the microcosm of his phenomenal career.
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1. Stephen Curry
Three-pointers made: 2,129 (7th all-time)
Three-pointers attempted: 4,880
Three-point percentage: 43.6%
Some might say it’s a bit too early to tell, while others believe putting him this high is disrespectful to the great shooters that have played in the league before him. However, stats don’t lie, pick favorites or care too much about historical impact. The truth of the matter is that Curry is shooting and making more three-pointers than anybody that has ever played — and it really isn’t all that close. In his historic 2016 season, Curry made just over five threes a game. For comparisons sake, Reggie Miller never averaged three three-pointers per game over an entire season. Curry made 688 threes combined in 2015 and 2016, which is more than Bird made in his entire 13-year career (649). You can say what you want about the era he plays in, or the team around him, but you can’t argue his brilliance. We’ve never seen anything like Curry, and we may never again. Just appreciate it.
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