If you walked into a gym today and asked a random teenager who the greatest shooter ever is, they’d look at you like you’re crazy for even asking. It’s Steph Curry. Case closed. But when you actually dig into the nba 3 point leaders list in early 2026, the story isn't just about Curry's dominance. It's about how the entire architecture of the game has shifted so fast that "records" are being broken every other Tuesday.
Honestly, it’s a weird time for the league. We’re watching the pioneers of the "3-point revolution" enter their twilight years while a new generation of 7-footers and positionless wings are hunting their totals with terrifying efficiency.
The untouchable summit
Let's talk about the guy at the top. As of January 2026, Stephen Curry has pushed the record into a stratosphere that feels more like a glitch in a video game than a basketball stat. He’s sitting at 4,205 career triples. Just let that sink in. To put that in perspective, Ray Allen held the record for years with 2,973. Curry didn't just break the door down; he vaporized the building.
He's 37 now. He’s still putting up nearly 29 points a game on 64% true shooting. It’s actually kind of absurd. People keep waiting for the cliff, but Steph is just out there playing with the Warriors' bench units, getting double-teamed at half-court, and still draining four or five a night.
The climb of the Beard and the Splash Brother
Right behind him, James Harden has quietly carved out a legacy that people still sort of argue about. Love him or hate him, the man is second all-time with 3,295 makes. He just passed Shaq for 9th on the all-time scoring list, too. It’s funny because we think of Harden for the "step-back" and the isolation, but his longevity as a volume shooter is what has him firmly entrenched at No. 2.
Then you have the Klay Thompson situation.
Watching Klay in a Dallas Mavericks jersey is still a bit of a trip. But just a few days ago, on January 15, 2026, Klay did something massive. He knocked down six threes against the Utah Jazz, moving him past Damian Lillard for 4th on the all-time list. He’s at 2,809 now.
- Stephen Curry: 4,205
- James Harden: 3,295
- Ray Allen: 2,973
- Klay Thompson: 2,809
- Damian Lillard: 2,804
It's a tight race between Klay and Dame. Lillard is still a flamethrower, but Thompson’s recent surge in Dallas—even if he’s only averaging about 11 points a game—has given him the edge for now. He’s only 165 makes away from catching Ray Allen for the third spot. If he stays healthy, he’ll likely hit that milestone before the 2026-27 season starts.
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Why the "Total Makes" stat is kinda lying to you
Here’s what most people get wrong about the nba 3 point leaders. We look at these career totals and think they represent the "best" shooters. But the speed of the game has changed so much that modern players are reaching these milestones in half the time it took the legends.
Take Buddy Hield.
Buddy is 33 now and playing for the Warriors. He’s currently 15th all-time with 2,175 makes. He’s struggling a bit this season—shooting around 32% from deep—but the fact that he's even in the top 15 shows how much the volume has exploded.
Then you look at the young guys. Anthony Edwards and Jayson Tatum are climbing the ranks at a pace that makes the old guard look like they were playing in slow motion. Tatum is already over 1,500 makes at age 27. Luka Dončić is right there with him. Even guys like Sam Hauser are out here trying to break single-game records, recently hooting and hollering in Atlanta while hunting an 11th three-pointer in a single night.
The role of the "Big Man" shooter
The real shift in the nba 3 point leaders landscape isn't coming from the guards anymore. It’s the 7-footers. Karl-Anthony Towns is sitting around 1,180 makes. Brook Lopez is well over 1,100. We’re seeing a world where Nikola Jokić is a more reliable threat from deep than some starting guards from the 90s.
It’s changed the way we value "shooting."
In the past, a "specialist" like Steve Kerr or Kyle Korver could survive just by being a dead-eye. Now? If you aren't shooting 38% on six attempts a game as a power forward, you’re basically a liability.
What to watch for the rest of 2026
If you're tracking the record books, the second half of this season is going to be wild.
- Klay vs. Dame: This is a seesaw. One big week from Lillard and he takes 4th place back.
- LeBron's Final Push: LeBron James is 6th all-time (2,595). He’s not a "shooter" in the traditional sense, but he’s likely going to finish his career comfortably in the top 5.
- The 4,500 Mark: Steph is closing in on 4,300. By the time he retires, he might have 1,500 more than the next closest person. That's a Gretzky-level lead.
The biggest takeaway? Don't get too attached to the current rankings. The bottom half of the Top 50 is being rewritten every season. Players who were considered "non-shooters" five years ago are now launching from the logo.
Your move
If you're a bettor or a fantasy manager, stop looking at career percentages and start looking at shot quality. The "open 3" is becoming rarer as defenses adjust. Watch how the Mavericks use Klay as a decoy to get Livelier or Marshall open looks, or how the Warriors are struggling to find space for Buddy Hield.
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The era of the "uncontested" volume shooter is dying. The next generation of leaders will be the ones who can hit "bad" shots at a high clip—the ones who, like Steph, don't need a screen to find the bottom of the net.
Keep an eye on the official NBA stats page every Monday. With the way the league is playing right now, a single hot month from a guy like Donovan Mitchell or Anthony Edwards can jump them five spots on the all-time list.
Actionable Insight: To truly understand shooting value in 2026, track "Contested 3P%" rather than just total makes. It tells you much more about who will maintain their rank as they age.