If you walked into a gym twenty years ago and started launching thirty-footers, your coach would’ve benched you faster than you could say "bad shot." Fast forward to early 2026, and that "bad shot" is basically the NBA’s primary currency. The league has changed. Honestly, it’s unrecognizable from the grit-and-grind era of the 90s.
We talk about the all time nba three point leaders like they’re just names on a spreadsheet, but these guys are the reason the game moved from the paint to the perimeter.
Take last night, January 15, 2026. Klay Thompson—now wearing a Mavericks jersey—just leapfrogged Damian Lillard for the number four spot on the list. It’s wild. Even at 35, Thompson is still hunting milestones while playing alongside Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving in Dallas. This isn't just a list of shooters; it’s a living history of how basketball evolved from a height-based struggle into a skill-based clinic.
The Mount Everest of Shooting: Stephen Curry
Let’s be real. There is Stephen Curry, and then there is everyone else.
As of mid-January 2026, Curry has pushed his total to 4,205 made three-pointers. To put that in perspective, he’s basically an entire planet ahead of the field. Most fans remember when he passed Ray Allen in 2021 at Madison Square Garden. Back then, we thought 3,000 was the "unreachable" ceiling.
Curry didn't just break the ceiling; he demolished the whole building. He’s currently sitting at nearly 10,000 career attempts. No, that's not a typo. He is roughly 42 attempts away from becoming the first human being to ever launch five figures' worth of triples in the NBA.
The gap between Curry and the rest of the all time nba three point leaders is so massive that it’s technically "unbreakable." If a rookie entered the league today and made 250 threes every single year for 15 seasons, they’d still be trailing Curry’s current total. And Steph isn't even done yet. He’s still averaging roughly nine attempts a game.
The Quiet Dominance of James Harden
People love to hate on James Harden’s style of play. They call it "foul hunting" or "isolation heavy." But you cannot argue with 3,293 made threes.
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Harden has secured the number two spot with a massive lead over the legends of the past. While Curry changed the game with movement and off-ball screens, Harden changed it with the step-back. He made the most difficult shot in basketball look like a layup. Currently with the Clippers, Harden just recently passed Shaquille O'Neal for 9th on the all-time scoring list. Think about that. A guy who gets a huge chunk of his points from the perimeter surpassed the most dominant "big man" in history.
It’s a different kind of greatness. It's methodical. It’s heavy volume. It’s effective.
The New Order: Klay, Dame, and the Active Ladder
The middle of the top ten is where things get really spicy right now.
Until yesterday, Damian Lillard held the four-spot. But Klay Thompson’s six-triple performance against the Utah Jazz moved him to 2,809, nudging past Lillard’s 2,804.
- Stephen Curry: 4,205
- James Harden: 3,293
- Ray Allen: 2,973 (Retired)
- Klay Thompson: 2,809
- Damian Lillard: 2,804
- LeBron James: 2,595
- Reggie Miller: 2,560 (Retired)
Seeing LeBron James at number six is always a shock to casual fans. LeBron isn't a "shooter" in the traditional sense, but he’s been so good for so long that he’s naturally climbed the ranks. He’s sitting at 2,595 makes. He’s essentially out-shot Reggie Miller, a guy who lived and breathed the three-point line.
This brings up a major misconception: being a leader on this list isn't always about being the best shooter. It’s often about longevity and adapting to the modern era.
Why Ray Allen and Reggie Miller Still Matter
It’s easy to look at the current numbers and think the older guys weren't as good. That’s a mistake.
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Ray Allen played in an era where taking eight threes a game was considered reckless. He was a pioneer. He shot 40% from deep across his entire career. If you dropped 1996 Ray Allen into the 2026 NBA, he’d likely be rivaling Curry’s volume.
The same goes for Reggie Miller. Reggie did his damage in a league that was much more physical, where you could be "hand-checked" (basically grabbed) all the way out to the logo. The fact that Miller is still in the top ten despite retiring over two decades ago is a testament to how far ahead of his time he actually was.
The Dark Horse: Buddy Hield’s Rapid Ascent
If you want to know who the next "big mover" is, look at Buddy Hield.
Hield is currently 15th all-time with 2,175 makes. That might not sound like much compared to Curry, but look at the pace. Buddy has five seasons with over 250 made threes. Only Curry has more.
He is a pure volume specialist. He doesn't need to be the "star" of a team to rack up these numbers. He just needs fifteen minutes and a little bit of daylight. By the time 2027 rolls around, expect Hield to be knocking on the door of the top ten, likely passing names like Jason Terry and Vince Carter.
The "Efficiency" Trap
A lot of people argue that these leaders are just "shooters who take too many shots."
Let’s look at the percentages. Steve Kerr still holds the record for career 3P% at 45.4%, but he only made 726 in his whole career.
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Curry is shooting 42.1% on nearly 10,000 attempts. That is the real magic. Maintaining that kind of efficiency while being the primary focus of every opposing defense is statistically impossible—except he's doing it.
When we talk about the all time nba three point leaders, we have to weigh the volume against the pressure. James Harden shoots around 36%. Is that "worse" than a bench player shooting 40%? Not really, because Harden is creating those shots off the dribble with a hand in his face. Context is everything.
What's Next for the Record Books?
We are entering a weird phase where the records are being set so high they might never be touched again.
Luka Doncic is already at 1,487 makes and he’s still young. He takes a lot of shots (8.8 attempts per game). But even at his current pace, he wouldn't catch Curry until he’s nearly 40 years old.
The physical toll of the modern game is real. We’re seeing more "load management" and shorter careers for some high-usage players. Curry’s combination of elite conditioning and a game that doesn't rely on vertical explosiveness is the "secret sauce" that created this unreachable mountain of stats.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're following the race for the three-point crown, keep these points in mind for the rest of the 2026 season:
- Watch the Klay/Dame battle: These two will likely trade the #4 and #5 spots multiple times this month. Every game matters.
- Monitor LeBron’s climb: He is 36 makes away from passing Ray Allen for 5th place. Yes, LeBron James might finish his career as a top-five three-point shooter.
- The 4,500 Club: Keep an eye on Curry’s health. If he plays another 100 games at his current rate, he will hit 4,500. That is a number no one thought was possible in our lifetime.
- Check the "attempts" column: Total makes tell you who is the best, but total attempts tell you who the "gravity" players are. Curry and Harden are the only ones in the 9,000+ attempt club.
The record book isn't a static document. It’s a reflection of a game that decided, collectively, that three is worth more than two. And as long as guys like Curry and Thompson are still laced up, the math is going to keep moving.