When Ray Allen retired with 2,973 made 3s, that record was supposed to stand for the long haul. Technically, it did, but the emergence of Steph Curry put the record in jeopardy almost immediately. Curry officially passed Allen on Dec. 14, 2021. That's after multiple 3-point records from the chef — most 3s in a season (402), most seasons with 300 makes (5) and most times leading the league in 3s (8).
Curry's recent accomplishment puts him in more uncharted territory. While James Harden has eclipsed 3,000 career makes, and Damian Lillard and Klay Thompsom look to join that list, Curry has extended his triple record to 4k.
"4k from Trey is CRAZY!!!!!" LeBron James said, showering Curry with praise early Friday morning. The accomplishment isn't something James Naismith had in mind when crafting the game we love, but Curry is a one-of-one game changer. Evolution is inevitable, but it's hard to envision someone gracing this earth more bullseye-accurate than 30 from the Bay.
Fans from back then probably thought Isiah Thomas would be the standard for ball handling for eternity, but then Kyrie Irving emerged. These things are possible, but they may take 50 years.
There isn't a sniper today who can claim the all-time throne over Curry; no one can even sit with him at the 4,000-made 3-pointers table. If somebody gets there 100 years from now, then so be it. Some shooters today don't come close as shooters but have an outside chance to reach the 4k mark (outside is doing a ton of work here).
Reaching that status requires youth, volume, availability, and accuracy, which could maybe get them in Curry territory.
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Anthony Edwards: 1,051 3s in 5 years
When Ant-Man went No. 1 in 2020, the consensus was that he'd be a forceful downhill attacker with prolific shotmaking. That shotmaking has extended to 3, and he's now challenging for the most made 3s this year.
Edwards's volume from deep has been ridiculous since his rookie year. Curry wasn't taking 7.7 3-pointers per game until his fourth season. Edwards already has two seasons reaching that threshold, and the other three aren't far off (7.3, 7.2, and 6.7).
In 2025, he's up to a blistering 40 percent on over 10 attempts per game. Edwards looks to join Steph and Klay as the only shooters to reach the 40 percent 10 3s attempted mark.
With his volume, accuracy, and youthfulness, Ant is on his way to special things. If he's shooting 10s now, he'll probably never step below eight attempts in his career again. He's off to a faster start than Curry through their first five years. 1,051 (and counting) for Ant to Curry's 905. Curry was plagued with injuries, but availability counts for double in this race to 4k (unless you are the greatest shooter ever).
Victor Wembanyama: 270 3s in 2 years
It's absurd to mention a 7-foot-5 world bender on a potential 4k 3s list, but here we are. Wemby has the volume in his second year. The new school space and pace era players are getting them up, but even Ant didn't take 8.8 3s a game in his second year!
Wemby did that before he was sidelined for the rest of the season. That's his dilemma in the question for 3-point total glory. Can the French big with guard skills stay healthy enough to press defenses with his volume?
His volume from 3 may take a dip as he ages. Teams will honor his jumper as he improves, but will teams ever be willing to concede Wemby rim attempts over his deep ball? He's an impossible task because him taking 3s might be a win for the defense, but if he's hitting at a 38 percent mark as he did for a 19-game stretch this year (2024-12-19 to 2025-01-31), good luck.
Even if he's hitting 3s from everywhere, Wemby's physical presence and diverse game may still lead to less than nearly 9 3s being attempted at his best. Availability and volume are the factors weighing his chances down. I'm not as confident he'll have a chance at the 4k party as I am with Edwards.
Jayson Tatum: 1,517 in 8 years
Playing the rest of your career under Joe Mazzulla will give any superstar like Tatum a chance for the record books. Playing in that drive-and-kick offense with 63 3s taken in a game on occasion puts Tatum in the outside chance for 4k.
JT has always been a good shooter from deep, but he's upped the ante even before Mazzulla's ball took over. He's attempted over 600 3s in each of the past five seasons. With over a month of the season left to play out, Tatum has already shot 625 3s and is averaging his career-high 10.1 3s a game. We see where his game is trending, and under Mazzulla, those numbers will only rise.
Tatum's volume or availability isn't to be questioned. He's never in jeopardy of missing All-NBA qualifications because he consistently plays over 65 games. He's on pace to play over 70 games for the fourth year in a row. This next sniper is a better shooter, but injuries have slowed his total.
Donovan Mitchell: 1,593 3s in 8 years
Mitchell splashed on the scene in a major way out of Lousiville. He led the Jazz past the hyped Big 3 in Oklahoma City and set the then-rookie record for 3s in a season. He's a big stage player and deep-range shot-maker.
Mitchell is getting close to 9 3s up a game for the fifth straight season. These shots aren't as versatile as Curry's shot diet, but the on-ball pull-ups come in a myriad of ways. With his slick handle and video game declaration, Mitchell can fire any shot whenever.
Teams fear his downhill ability, so his speed keeps them on their toes. You back up, and he fires; if you don't, it's a blow-by. Those triples continue to pile up. He's at 38 percent over the last five years, matching great efficiency with elite volume. Mitchell's jump shot will continue to be pure as his athleticism wanes, but his game-played numbers will make the 4k number tough to catch.
Mitchell hasn't played in 70 games since his second season. Availability and youth aren't on his side. He's not a spring chicken; approaching 29 years old at the end of the year. He'll more than likely join the 3k club with Harden and Curry, but the 4k mark is asking a lot.
LaMelo Ball isn't available or accurate enough so far to get a paragraph here (Wemby hasn't been available enough either, but he's two years in, not five). You'd think Trae Young is an easy choice, but he hasn't made 200 3s in a season since 2022.
Luka Dončić fires from deep plenty, but he may not play long enough to reach ridiculous totals. The volume is there for certain, especially looking at his last two years, but how long does Luka Magic want to torch the league? He's been a pro hooper since he was a teenager.
All in all, these are all reaches besides Edwards. He's young, accurate, and available enough to reach for the stars. He's still unlikely to join Curry at the 4k table but has the best shot.