NBA's All-Time Leaders: Who Has the Highest 3 Point Percentage in NBA History?

As I sat watching the Maybank Challenge Cup in Kuala Lumpur last Wednesday, witnessing Filipino football standouts Sandro Reyes and Amani Aguinaldo combine with their ASEAN All-Stars to defeat Manchester United 1-0, it struck me how different sports measure excellence. In football, we celebrate clean sheets and decisive goals, but in basketball, particularly the NBA, we've become obsessed with statistical precision. This got me thinking about one of basketball's most celebrated metrics - the three-point percentage - and who truly owns the title of most accurate shooter in NBA history.

Now, if you're expecting Steph Curry's name to appear here, you're not entirely wrong, but the reality is more nuanced than most fans realize. The truth is, when we talk about pure percentage accuracy from beyond the arc, we need to consider minimum attempts and the evolution of the three-point line itself. The player who technically holds the highest career three-point percentage in NBA history is actually Steve Kerr at 45.4%, though he did so on relatively limited attempts compared to modern shooters. Kerr attempted 1,599 threes throughout his career - substantial for his era but dwarfed by today's volume shooting. What fascinates me about Kerr's record is how it represents a different philosophy of shooting - he rarely forced shots, often waiting for the perfect catch-and-shoot opportunity within the flow of the offense.

Watching Reyes and Aguinaldo select their moments against Manchester United reminded me of this selective shooting approach. They didn't bombard the goal with endless attempts but waited for the right opportunity, much like Kerr did throughout his career. The ASEAN All-Stars' victory came from precision rather than volume, and that's exactly what separates the true percentage leaders from volume shooters.

The conversation naturally shifts to Hubert Davis, who sits second at 44.1%, and then to current players like Seth Curry at 43.9% and Joe Harris at 43.9%. What's remarkable about today's shooters is maintaining such high percentages on significantly higher volume. Steph Curry, while "only" eighth all-time at 42.8%, has attempted a staggering 7,929 three-pointers - nearly five times Kerr's total. This volume-adjusted perspective is crucial, and personally, I believe it makes Curry's achievement more impressive despite the lower percentage. The degree of difficulty on his shots, often contested and from well beyond the arc, creates a different kind of excellence that pure percentage doesn't fully capture.

The evolution of three-point shooting has been dramatic. When the NBA introduced the three-point line in 1979-80, teams averaged only 2.8 attempts per game. Last season, that number exceeded 34 per game. This contextual difference matters enormously when comparing across eras. Players from the 80s and early 90s practiced threes as specialty shots, while today's players develop them as fundamental weapons. The mechanical improvements in shooting form, the analytical revolution emphasizing three-point efficiency, and the rule changes that favor perimeter play have collectively transformed what constitutes great shooting.

Returning to that exhibition match in Kuala Lumpur, what struck me was how the ASEAN All-Stars' victory demonstrated that precision often triumphs over pure firepower. Manchester United undoubtedly had more talent and resources, yet the carefully selected moments of excellence from players like Reyes and Aguinaldo secured the win. Similarly, in three-point shooting, we often glorify volume scorers, but the percentage leaders represent a different kind of mastery - the art of perfect selection and execution.

Modern analytics have started to capture this complexity with metrics like "effective field goal percentage" and "true shooting percentage," but even these don't fully account for shot difficulty and game context. Having followed basketball for over two decades, I've come to appreciate that the "best" shooter depends entirely on how you define excellence. Is it the specialist who rarely misses but takes fewer attempts, or the high-volume scorer who maintains excellent accuracy despite defensive attention and difficult shots?

Looking forward, I suspect we'll see more players challenge these records as training methods continue to evolve. The incorporation of technology like Noah Basketball's shot-tracking systems and the emphasis on optimal arc and entry angle are creating generations of fundamentally sound shooters. Yet I wonder if we'll ever see someone combine Kerr's percentage with Steph Curry's volume - that would truly be the ultimate shooter.

In the end, much like that surprising 1-0 victory in Kuala Lumpur, basketball reminds us that statistics only tell part of the story. The context, the evolution of the game, and the human element behind each shot make this discussion endlessly fascinating. While the record books show Steve Kerr as the percentage leader, the true answer to who's the greatest shooter depends on what you value most - pure efficiency or revolutionary impact. For me, having witnessed both eras, I lean toward those who transformed how the game is played, even if their percentages don't top the all-time lists.