The Rise of the 3-Pointer: How This Shot Changed Basketball Forever
Before the 3-point shot was introduced to basketball, the game was dominated by tall players. Teams would get the ball inside to their biggest player and shoot the basketball close to the basket. Coaches were playing the higher percentages. It’s easier to make a shot from inside 10 feet than it was to make a 20-foot shot. Since the shots from both distances were worth 2 points, teams generally tried to throw the ball inside to score because their percentage of shots made was higher. That meant teams that had skilled tall players had an advantage over other teams.
In 1979, when the National Basketball Association (NBA) adopted the 3-point shot, the way the game was played offensively changed forever. Gradually, teams adopted strategies to incorporate the 3-point shot into their offense. The 3-point shot opened up offenses, clearing out the area close to the basket, where defenders would sometimes crowd to double-team big players, who had an advantage. The rules change forced coaches to learn a different way to teach offense, and it spawned a new generation of players who specialized in 3-point shooting.
What Is the 3-point Shot?
A black line drawn in the shape of an arc marks the 3-point line. A 3-point shot attempt in the NBA is a shot from beyond 22’ in the corners and 23’9” from the rest of the arc. In college basketball, the 3-point shot distance is 22’2” from above the basket and 21’8” from the corners, and in high school basketball, it's 19’9”. The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) plays with a 20’9” three-point line.
The Fascinating History of the 3-Point Shot
In 1961, the American Basketball League (ABL) used the 3-point shot for the first time. Abe Saperstein, the founder of the Harlem Globetrotters and the ABL, wanted to create an environment where smaller players could impact the game. The 3-point shot allowed good shooters to highlight their skills. The ABL initially adopted a 3-point line that was 25 feet from the basket and 22 feet from the corners. The ABL wasn’t successful, folding after a year and a half. The 3-point shot, however, wasn’t dead.
In 1967, the American Basketball Association (ABA) was created. George Mikan, the founder of the ABA and one of the best centers in the history of the NBA, wanted the 3-pointer to open up the floor and make the game more exciting. To differentiate the league from the NBA, the ABA used red, white, and blue basketballs, and it played a faster style of offense, which featured a 3-point shot. Mikan used the current NBA distances for the 3-point shot.
The NBA had considered using the 3-pointer, but many players and coaches were reluctant, believing it was a gimmick and not the way basketball was meant to be played. In 1976, the NBA and the ABL merged. Three years later, the NBA instituted a 3-point shot. The league’s popularity with fans had been waning, and it wanted to do something to make the games more exciting. The 3-point shot opened the floor and created more scoring. Teams would try to balance their inside scoring with outside scoring.
At first, coaches were unsure of how to use the 3-pointer in their offenses. In the 1979-80 season, teams averaged 2.8 three-point shots per game. In the 2023–2024 season, NBA teams averaged 35 three-point shots per game. In the 1986–1987 season, colleges started using the 3-point shot and high schools followed the next year. Gradually, coaches figured out ways to integrate 3-point shooting into their offense in a way that helped improve their scoring. The case for taking more 3-point shots was rooted in math. If a team made 50% of their shots inside the 3-point line, they’d score 100 points if they took 100 shots. If a team made 34% of their 3-point shots, they’d score 102 points on 100 three-point shots. A winning strategy was to have a team that shot 34% or better from 3-point range. The advent of a 3-point shot created a new way of thinking about offense, eventually leading to analytics, which is the use of advanced data to help determine a team’s shot selection.
How Steph Curry Revolutionized 3-Point Shooting
Steph Curry, a 6’2” guard for the Golden State Warriors, was an excellent player at Charlotte Christian High School in North Carolina with an extraordinary skill: He could make 3-point shots with his high, arching, quick release shot at an astounding rate. Still, Curry wasn’t highly recruited, ending up at Davidson College. Curry quickly made a name for himself, setting the record for made 3-pointers with 122 in the 2006-2007 season. In his last season in college, Curry led the nation in scoring, averaging 28.6 points per game. Curry played his best basketball in the brightest spotlight, averaging 32 points per game in the NCAA Tournament 2008–2009. When Curry was drafted as the No. 7 pick by the NBA in 2009, there were people who didn’t believe his 3-point shooting success would translate into the NBA because of its rugged defense and the longer shot distance.
Curry proved the doubters wrong, leading the Warriors to 5 straight NBA title appearances. Curry has won 4 NBA championships. Teams often have to start guarding him just past half-court because of his extraordinary range. His quick release and near perfect footwork make it extremely difficult for him to be guarded. Curry has made an NBA record of 4,032 three-point shots, which is 857 more than any other NBA player. More consequentially, Curry has changed the way NBA games are played. Three-point specialists are now a standard position for NBA teams, and coaches devise defensive game plans to try to stop or slow down their opponent’s 3-point shooting. A generation of young players has been influenced by Curry’s flashy style, which made the game exciting for fans and players. In high school and college, players have extended their 3-point range because Curry showed them it was possible. Curry had done what Saperstein envisioned when the ABL first used the 3-pointer. He showed it was possible to dominate the game offensively as a guard.
Anatomy of a 3-Point Specialist
It takes hours of practice to turn yourself into a good 3-point shooter. There are some fundamentals you can work on to help improve your game. Below are some tips to help you get better at your 3-point shooting.
Balance: A 3-point shooter must be able to catch and release the ball for their shot in a stable position to have success. If they’re off balance, it’s difficult to get in a place where you’re squared up to the basket, which is one of the fundamental components of shooting the basketball.
Quick Release: The ball has to leave the hands of a shooter quickly because defenders will get into their space rapidly. Release time is how long it takes the ball to leave a shooter’s hand after they start their shooting motion. The average NBA player has release time of .54 seconds. Curry’s release time is .40 seconds.
Spacing: A good 3-point shooter finds open creases in a defense to get their shots off. They need to be good at cutting sharply and using screens to find a hole in the defense. A great 3-point shooter needs only a sliver of space to get their shot off.
Confidence: A 3-point shooter can’t think about their missed shots. They have to be fearless. They must keep shooting through failure. A great 3-point shooter makes less than half of their 3-point shots. Curry led the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage at 45.6 in 2024-2025.
Shot Selection: A 3-point shooter knows their limits. Some players can consistently make 30-foot shots. Others need to be closer to the 3-point line to be successful. More importantly, they know how to get to the spots where they have the best chance of making shots.
Equipment & Gear for 3-Point Shooting Success
To excel as a 3-point shooter, you need the right equipment and apparel. Below are some items you should consider having to elevate your 3-point shooting game.
Basketball Shoes: Your shoes should be lightweight and airy with material designed to help support your ankles. Three-point shooters will have to elevate off the gym floor to get their shots off, so they’ll want a shoe with plenty of cushion.
Shooting Sleeve: A shooting sleeve can help protect your arm from knicks and cuts. The sleeve runs from the player’s shoulders to the top of their hands. Whether you wear a shooting sleeve is a matter of choice. Many players insist the sleeve provides stability that helps improve their shooting form.
Clothing: Wear comfortable moisture-wicking shorts and shirts to help increase your performance. Shooters don’t want to feel inhibited in any way. Wearing comfortable performance clothing can help you play your best.
Three-point shooting isn’t just relegated to guards. It’s such an important component of a modern basketball offense that some teams have 5 players who can step out and make 3-point shots. That’s why even if you're a forward or center, it’s important to learn how to shoot 3-pointers effectively.