Once viewed as a rare talent, 3-point shooting has almost become a must if you want to play in the NBA.
Over the last decade, 3-point shooting has exploded in the NBA. Most teams have lineups they commonly use in which each player is a threat from beyond the arc, no matter the size or position.Â
But only a select few are good enough each year to participate in the NBA’s 3-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend. One of the game’s all-time great 3-point shooters could make history in the 2025 3-Point Contest, with Damian Lillard trying to become the second player to ever win the competition three years in a row.
As Lillard seeks to three-peat in the Bay Area on Saturday, let’s take a look at the 10 best 3-point shooters in NBA history.
10 best 3-point shooters in NBA history
10. Peja Stojakovic
Stojakovic found a role for himself on the Sacramento Kings teams of the late 1990s/early 2000s due to his 3-point shooting, helping space the floor for Chris Webber, Mike Bibby, Vlade Divac and others. He eventually became their second-leading scorer when they made the Western Conference finals in 2002 because of his efficiency from deep.
While the Kings slowly faded following that run, Stojakovic continued to grow as a player — he ranked in the top 10 in 3-pointers made each season from 2002-03 to 2004-05. As he led the league in 3-pointers made in 2003-04, Stojakovic even finished fourth in MVP voting. Over that run, he won the 3-Point Contest twice (2002, 2003), making him one of eight players to win the competition on multiple occasions.Â
Stojakovic bounced around after the Kings traded him in 2006, but his long-distance game remained an asset through his final season. He finished 12th in the league in 3-point shooting in 2010-11 before winning a championship with the Dallas Mavericks that postseason.Â
At the time of his retirement, Stojakovic was fourth all-time in 3-pointers made. As of February 2025, he’s 32nd on the list, making him one of the players who could’ve benefited by being born just a little bit later. Â
9. Dirk Nowitzki
Nowitzki might be the greatest shooting big man of all time. No power forward or center has made more 3-pointers than he has; with 1,982 made 3-pointers in his career, he has 300 more than second place as of February 2025. His career 3-point percentage (38%) is also among the best ever for a power forward/center.
Nowitzki’s deep shooting ability made him one of the NBA’s top players in the 2000s and 2010s. The 14-time All-Star became the fifth player to join the 50-40-90 club in the 2006-07 season when he made 42% of his 3-pointers en route to winning MVP that year.
Nowitzkii took his long-range shooting to another level during the 2011 playoffs. He made 46% of his 3-pointers that postseason, helping the Mavericks take home a title.
