Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry did not simply become the greatest three-point shooter in NBA history — he changed the geometry of how basketball is played at every level of the game. Before Curry, the three-pointer was a weapon of rotation. After Curry, it became the primary offensive architecture for franchises, college programs, and youth leagues worldwide. The shift was that complete.

The individual records define the scope. Curry holds the all-time mark for three-pointers made, passing Ray Allen's record of 2,973 in October 2021 at Madison Square Garden. His single-season record of 402 three-pointers in 2015-16 — during the Warriors' 73-9 season — stood nearly 200 makes above the next-best season total at the time he set it. The 2015-16 MVP vote was unanimous, the first in NBA history. The argument was straightforward: he was the most valuable player on the best team in league history, shooting 45.4 percent from three on more attempts than most guards take from anywhere.

What the numbers do not capture is shot gravity — the defensive distortion that Curry creates before he even releases the ball. The Warriors' offensive system was built around the credible threat of Curry pulling up from 35 feet, which bent help defenders off their assignments, opened the weak side for cutters, and created corner opportunities for Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Teams shifted their defensive schemes at the fundamental level to account for Curry's range.

His career three-point percentage of 42.7 percent, maintained across more than 8,000 attempts, is the record for high-volume shooters. His four championships include a 2022 Finals MVP — his first, coming 12 years into a career built around lifting others.