We are currently in the three-point era of basketball, where teams and players want to hoist up as many good-quality threes as possible.
The analytics of the game has convinced every NBA team that 3 points are worth more than 2 points and that shooting 40% from three is more effective than shooting 50% from two. Hence, shooters should have the green light whenever they want. Of course, some players have a bigger green light than others, and one of them is none other than Stephen Curry. The man is simply on another level, and his ability to swish threes is unreal, especially when considering how effortless he makes it look and the efficiency with which he gets buckets. In many ways, Stephen Curry can’t miss when he gets it going.
With the Stephen Curry-lead Warriors changing the game in recent years, the three-point shot is the new norm in the NBA. The point guard has become the most renowned player in the world because his ability to let shots loose from the perimeter places him by himself as the greatest to have ever lived. Not to mention, Curry is continuing to climb the scoring charts as he is now the 41st greatest scorer ever after passing Pau Gasol in the rankings. Stephen Curry is regarded as the best 3-point shooter ever, but how many threes has he made in every season of his career? Curry’s resume as a shooter is second to none, and here is the ultimate three-point list of the NBA’s greatest shooter per season since his rookie year.
2009-10 – 166 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 166 – 380 (3PTM – 3PTA), 43.7 3PT%, 80 Games Played
In his rookie season, Stephen Curry played 80 games and managed to make a decent 166 three-pointers. The point guard made the All-Rookie Team by posting 17.5 PPG and 5.9 APG, showcasing his talents as an offensive player. We clearly did not see what was to come, as Blake Griffin was the standout rookie who everyone was claiming would be the next young star of the NBA.
Regardless, Curry shot a very high percentage from three, and it was already clear he was an above-average marksman, even at 21 years old. Of course, the point guard would just be getting started, and there would be plenty more to come from the player. But overall, Steph was an elite shooter as soon as he stepped foot on an NBA floor.
2010–11 – 151 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 151 – 342 (3PTM – 3PTA), 44.2 3PT%, 74 Games Played
In his second NBA season, Stephen Curry once again was exceptional from an efficiency standpoint from the three-point line. He shot an incredible 44.2% from the three-point line and was given time to showcase what he could really do by playing an impressive 33.6 MPG as the Warriors’ starter. No doubt, Golden State was interested in making Curry the long-term starter for them.
There were doubts about the point guard’s size and ability to remain durable because Curry did come with a reputation for having issues with his ankle. Posting 18.6 PPG and 5.8 APG, Curry clearly had talent, and he was also an extreme marksman from the free-throw line by nailing 93.4%. The player’s shooting was beginning to stand out, but it wouldn’t be another year or two before he would arrive as the Stephen Curry we know now.
2011–12 – 55 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 55 – 121 (3PTM – 3PTA), 45.5 3PT%, 26 Games Played
Unfortunately, Stephen Curry would miss most of the 2012 season as he only played in 26 games with 23 starts. The point guard’s reputation for not remaining durable was following the point guard, as the time missed affected the team pretty badly as the Warriors finished with a poor 23-43 record in the lockout-shortened season.
Still, Curry showed enough over 26 games that he was a special shooter. He went 55-121 from the three-point line, nailing 45.5% from the three-point line in 28.2 MPG of action. The point guard was continuing to show how effective he could be from deep and that his playmaking (5.3 APG) was also solid for a young player. It wouldn’t be until 2013 that Curry and the Golden State Warriors would start their dominance.
2012–13 – 272 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 272 – 600 (3PTM – 3PTA), 45.33 3PT%, 78 Games Played
One name sticks out among all the top three-point shooters in the NBA in 2013: Stephen Curry. 2013 was the start of Curry’s dominance of the NBA because he changed the game with long-range prowess. Alongside arguably the second-best shooter ever in Klay Thompson, Curry made the Golden State Warriors almost unbeatable because no opponent could match up with three points on the board per possession.
Of course, it would take time for Golden State to actually contend, even though they were decent with a 47-35 record, which stood for 6th in the Western Conference. The Warriors ended up defeating the Denver Nuggets in the first round and lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the second round. Curry was coming, ladies and gentlemen.
2013–14 – 261 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 261 – 615 (3PTM – 3PTA), 42.44 3PT%, 78 Games Played
The Golden State Warriors star led the league in threes made 5 times in 10 years, an incredible feat. His second time doing so came in 2014 when he swished through over 260 three-pointers at a scintillating 42.44% clip.
As expected, the Golden State Warriors were one of the most talented teams in the Western Conference as they finished with a 51-31 record which was good for 6th in the conference. Curry averaged 24.0 PPG and made his first All-Star Team during the season as well.
2014–15 – 286 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 286 – 646 (3PTM – 3PTA), 44.3 3PT%, 80 Games Played
In his first MVP season, Stephen Curry started making a name for himself as one of the best players in the NBA. The superstar point guard was effective off the ball, although he was effective in creating his own buckets with ease, thanks to his head coach’s belief in him.
Curry led the NBA in three-pointers made for the third straight year and did so while making 44.3% from deep. The point guard played in 80 games and was a tremendous asset for his team as the Warriors won the NBA championship at the expense of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
2015–16 – 402 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 402 – 886 (3PTM – 3PTA), 45.37 3PT%, 79 Games Played
Steph would lead the league in three-pointers made 4 times in a row in 2016, draining 402 three-pointers in 886 attempts, an incredible mark of an all-time great scorer. Curry shot a whopping 45.37% from three in 79 games played and would go on to win his second MVP en route to another Finals appearance.
A unanimous MVP award, a second Finals appearance, and being the best three-point shooter in the world did not help the Finals loss at all. No doubt Curry would trade all those achievements in for a Finals victory, but the point guard was still the best shooter we have ever seen.
2016–17 – 324 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 324 – 789 (3PTM – 3PTA), 41.06 3PT%, 79 Games Played
The Golden State Warriors superstar was on point in 2017, knocking down 324 three-pointers alongside Klay Thompson and the newly-recruited Kevin Durant. Even when playing with other all-time great shooters, Steph was easily the most impactful one in the group.
Quite frankly, there will never be another shooter like Curry. Kevin Durant won Finals MVP honors at the end of the year, but the Warriors were still Curry’s team, and his three-point shooting was simply sublime even if he attempted close to 800 attempts from beyond.
2017–18 – 212 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 212 – 501 (3PTM – 3PTA), 42.3 3PT%, 51 Games Played
Curry’s 3-point reign would come to an end once James Harden started falling in love with the three-pointer. The Beard led the NBA in three-pointers made, winning league MVP, but Curry was still the most efficient marksman from beyond.
The Golden State Warriors relied on Curry’s ability to contend, so his taking 501 threes would not be a problem in the 2018 season. The point guard only played in 51 games, but he was easily dominant from beyond and would go on to win his 3rd championship, with Kevin Durant earning Finals MVP honors.
2018–19 – 354 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 354 – 810 (3PTM – 3PTA), 43.7 3PT%, 69 Games Played
Stephen Curry yet again shot over 40% from three, and nobody was convinced that anyone could come close to him in that regard. With his quick release serving its purpose, Curry made over 350 three-pointers in 69 games played.
The point guard had Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson by his side, and the Splash Brothers wreaked havoc on the league as they finished 57-25 to lead the West. Injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson prevented them from winning the NBA Finals, but at least Curry made over 350 threes to keep building his case as the best shooter ever.
2019–20 – 12 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 12 – 49 (3PTM – 3PTA), 24.5 3PT%, 5 Games Played
Stephen Curry suffered injuries all season and only played in 5 games before getting shut down. Kevin Durant had departed to Brooklyn, and Klay Thompson was also out for the year. With the Warriors going nowhere, Curry was shut down for the year.
In those 5 games, Curry shot 24.5% as he made only 12 threes in 49 attempts. The point guard knew he would have no chance to make the playoffs with a team that was devastated by roster inactivity, so he didn’t need to make enough threes to lead his team.
2020–21 – 337 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 337 – 801 (3PTM – 3PTA), 42.07 3PT%, 63 Games Played
Stephen Curry led all players in three-pointers made in 2021 with 337 three-pointers on 801 attempts. The Golden State Warriors has clearly retaken his throne as the best deep-range shooter in the league after having James Harden capture the top spot 3 in the last 4 seasons.
Steph would go on to shatter the all-time makes for three-pointers made the following season and solidify himself as the best to have ever shot the ball. Amazingly, the point guard shot over 40% from the three-point line yet again, even if the team were poor with a 39-33 record.
2021-22 – 285 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 285 – 750 (3PTM – 3PTA), 38.0 3PT%, 64 Games Played
It seems that nobody in the current NBA will ever get close to what Steph has done. The point guard is still 34 years old, so he will likely own the 2020s decade with the most three-pointers per season. Some players from the younger generation are showcasing their deep-range skills, including Trae Young, Devin Booker, and Zach LaVine.
Time will tell if these budding stars can come close to replicating what Stephen Curry has done from the perimeter. The superstar made 285 threes out of a total of 750 attempts. It is safe to say that Steph will end the next few seasons as the leading 3-point shooter in the league because even as he ages, the point guard’s shot doesn’t.
2022-2023 – 141 3-Pointers Made
Stats: 141-334 (3PTM – 3PTA), 42.2 3PT%, 29 Games Played
Stephen Curry is off to a hot start again, shooting 42.2% from deep this season already through 29 games played. Time will tell if the Golden State Warriors will shut the point guard out for the season since the team is playing poorly, and key players such as Draymond Green could be gone as the “writing might be on the wall” for him. If Curry does play the rest of the season, he could be the league’s top three-point shooter again.
The superstar has made 141 threes, 5th in the NBA right now behind Buddy Hield, Anfernee Simons, Donovan Mitchell, and Malik Beasley. Curry also has 2 more three-pointers than Klay Thompson. As great as those four players ahead of him have been, Hield has only made 29 more threes than Steph so far and has played in 15 more games. No doubt Curry is still the best and most talented shooter in the NBA right now.
Source: fadeawayworld
