NBA Most 3 Pointers in a Season: Record Holders and Historic Shooting Performances

I still remember watching that 2016 Warriors game where Stephen Curry sank his 402nd three-pointer of the season. The arena erupted, but what struck me most was how casual he made it look - just another routine shot in a game that had fundamentally changed before our eyes. Having followed basketball since the 90s, I've witnessed the three-point revolution firsthand, from it being a supplementary weapon to becoming the very engine of modern offenses. That transformation didn't happen overnight, but when you look at the record books for most three-pointers in a single season, you're essentially reading the history of how basketball reinvented itself.

The evolution of the three-point record tells a fascinating story about shifting philosophies. Back in 1995-96, Dennis Scott breaking the record with 267 threes seemed almost unimaginable - that number would barely crack the top 50 in today's game. What's remarkable is how long some records stood before being shattered. Ray Allen's 269 in 2005-06 felt like it might last forever, then Curry came along and didn't just break records - he made them unrecognizable. I've always been particularly fascinated by the 2018-19 season where both James Harden and Paul George were chasing Curry's record simultaneously, creating this incredible narrative tension throughout the season. Harden's step-back threes became this unstoppable weapon, while George's catch-and-shoot elegance demonstrated there's more than one way to dominate from deep.

What many casual fans don't realize is how much the game has changed strategically. When I analyze game footage from different eras, the difference in three-point attempts is staggering. Teams that once averaged maybe 10-12 attempts per game now regularly shoot 40-plus. The math has simply become undeniable - three points are worth more than two, and when you have shooters who can hit at 35% or better, the economics of shot selection fundamentally change. I find myself constantly explaining this to traditionalists who complain about "too much shooting" - the game hasn't gotten softer, it's gotten smarter. The analytical revolution in basketball has created an environment where shooting isn't just valued, it's essentially currency.

The physical and mental demands on today's shooters are something we rarely discuss enough. Think about the conditioning required to run through multiple screens while maintaining shooting form, or the mental fortitude to keep shooting after missing three or four in a row. I've spoken with shooting coaches who emphasize that modern NBA shooting isn't just about technique - it's about endurance, spatial awareness, and what I like to call "selective amnesia" where you forget your last miss immediately. This reminds me of that Rain or Shine game where their barometer player was held to just 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Even the best shooters have off nights, but what separates the record holders is their ability to bounce back game after game, maintaining consistency through the grueling 82-game schedule.

Curry's 402 will likely stand for a while, but what's fascinating is how close others have come recently. When Buddy Hield made 282 in 2021-22 or Duncan Robinson's 270 the season before, they weren't just having great shooting years - they were approaching what we once considered untouchable numbers. The proliferation of shooting across positions means we might soon see a center challenging these records, which would have been unthinkable even a decade ago. Personally, I'm waiting for the first player to average six made threes per game for an entire season - the math suggests it's possible with today's pace and offensive systems.

What often gets lost in these discussions is the human element behind these astronomical numbers. The thousands of shots taken in empty gyms, the film study to understand defensive schemes, the subtle adjustments shooters make throughout their careers. I've had the privilege of watching some of these shooters develop from their rookie seasons, and what's striking isn't just their talent but their relentless work ethic. The great shooters aren't born - they're crafted through repetition and refinement. They understand angles, footwork, and the delicate balance between confidence and selectivity.

As I look toward the future, I can't help but wonder where this three-point evolution leads next. We're already seeing players launching from well beyond the arc as routine shots, and the efficiency keeps improving league-wide. The next frontier might be movement threes - shots coming off complex actions rather than stationary catch-and-shoots. Or perhaps we'll see teams develop specialists who do nothing but shoot corner threes at historic volumes. Whatever comes next, the records will continue to fall because the game keeps evolving. The three-pointer has transformed from novelty to necessity, and the players who master it are rewriting basketball history one shot at a time. The beautiful part is that we get to watch it unfold, season after season, record after record.