Listing the 4 NBA players who have 2500 made three-pointers in their NBA careers
James Harden, in his last game against the New York Knicks, became the fourth NBA player to record 2500 made career three-pointers. He made 3 three-pointers in the game to reach this milestone and the Brooklyn Nets won the game 112-110.
Over the last decade, the NBA has shifted to a playing style that accommodates a lot more scoring from deep. Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors being one of the best to do that. Almost all NBA teams have upped their attempts from deep and built structures to facilitate the same. Apart from the Golden State Warriors, the Houston Rockets with James Harden stood out for their efficiency.
4 NBA players who have made 2500 three-pointers in their career
#4 James Harden – 2,502
Mike D'Antoni, coached the Houston Rockets from 2016-20 and built his offense around James Harden. The NBA then saw the success the Golden State Warriors had with spacing strategies. Mike D’Antoni switched his focus to the same, adding pieces that could support James Harden in his quest.
During those four seasons, Harden made 1,204 three-pointers and led the league in three-pointers made in three of them. Throughout his NBA career, James Harden has made 2,502 three-pointers on a 36.3% average. In the current season with the Brooklyn Nets, he has made 57 of his 157 attempts from deep.
#3 Reggie Miller (retired) – 2,560
Drafted in the 1987 NBA Draft, Reggie Miller spent 18 seasons in the league. He was picked 11th overall by the Indiana Pacers. Reggie Miller was an early adopter of the three-point shot and was consistent from the deep. Throughout his NBA career, he has made 2,560 three-pointers from 6,486 attempts. Miller reached the 2,500 milestone in his last NBA season, at age 39.
The 1997-97 season was Reggie Miller’s best from the deep, making 229 three-pointers on 42.7% shooting. He shot well from deep in an era when a three-point shot was not considered the most viable option. We can only imagine how much better Miller would be if he belonged to the current era and NBA franchises could build a team around him.
#2 Stephen Curry – 2,940
One of the greatest shooters the NBA has ever seen, Stephen Curry makes it look easy. His quick release and extended range have left defenders wondering what could be the best way to guard him. Stephen Curry has made 2,940 three-pointers in his NBA career and is not showing any signs of slowing down. Throughout his career, Curry has averaged 43.2% from deep.
In the current 2021-22 season, he became the fastest player in NBA history to reach 100 three-pointers in a single season, doing it in 19 games. The previous record was 20 games, set by none other than Stephen Curry himself, in the 2015-16 and 2018-19 seasons. In the 2015-16 season, Curry made a career-high 402 three-pointers in a single season. If you were to look at the split in his scoring, Curry has shot 46% of his career points from the three-point line, that puts things into perspective.
#1 Ray Allen (retired) – 2,973
Ray Allen is well-known around the NBA for the days he spent at the Boston Celtics. Apart from the Celtics, he has played for three other franchises. Ray Allen was the 5th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft to be selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves and traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He immediately became a prolific scorer and a threat from deep. In his first NBA season, he averaged 39.3% from the three-point line.
Throughout his NBA career, Ray Allen has made 2,973 three-pointers. He came into the league when very few players were efficient from deep and the franchises that sought his services benefited from his presence. Ray Allen scored an iconic three in the Miami Heat’s title winning 2012-13 season. It was his first season with the Miami Heat and in Game 6 of the NBA Finals they were trailing by three points. Ray Allen received the ball from Chris Bosh, stepped back and pulled-up to drain a three, tying the game and keeping the series alive. The Miami Heat went on to win the 2013 NBA Finals.