Which NBA player has the most three-pointers in a season?
The NBA introduced the three-point line in 1979. That sparked a huge transformation in the game, with long range shooting becoming increasingly necessary to win games. The rule was first introduced professionally in 1961 in the American Basketball League. Subsequently, the ABA was formed in 1967 and was then merged with the NBA in 1976.
It was only after the official merger of the two leagues that the three-point line was seriously considered, and eventually introduced in 1979. Needless to say, modern NBA basketball is incomplete without the three-point line. Multiple legendary distance shooters have made a name for themselves in the last decade, boasting impressive scoring rates from beyond the arc.
While not many will argue that Stephen Curry is the greatest shooter of all time, the likes of Klay Thompson and Damian Lillard are also some of the greatest three-point shooters the league has ever seen. In this article, we look at the player who holds the NBA record for the most three-pointers in a season.
NBA players with the most 3-pointers in a season
Golden State Warriors’ talismanic Stephen Curry holds the record for the most three-pointers scored across a season. He achieved the feat during the 2015-16 season, as he went through the regular season averaging 30.1 points and breaking numerous records. Curry registered a total of 402 three-pointers throughout the season, and had a conversion rate of 45.4%. The 7-time All-Star took a whopping 11.2 three-point attempts per game and converted 5.1 of them on average.
Stephen Curry finished the season with a 90% free throw success rate, and produced his career-best 2.1 steals per game. Curry broke numerous records that season, including becoming the first player since Michael Jordan to score at least 118 points in the first three games of the season.
As far as the overall list for the most three-pointers in a season goes, James Harden comes in second as he registered 378 three-pointers during his MVP-winning 2018-19 NBA season with the Houston Rockets. Curry dominated the rest of the list as he finished with 354 three-pointers in the 2018-19 season, 337 three-pointers in the 2020-21 season, and 324 three-pointers in the 2016-17 season. The Golden State Warriors' guard holds four of the top 5 spots on the list. Failure to make it to the playoffs cost Stephen Curry a chance to improve on the record this time around.