Who Holds the Record for Most 3-Pointers in an NBA Season?

I remember watching that Rain or Shine game last season where Nocum was held to just 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting, and it got me thinking about how much the game has evolved. When you see a player struggling from the field like that, it really highlights how crucial consistent shooting has become in today's NBA. That performance stood out precisely because we've grown accustomed to seeing players light up the scoreboard from beyond the arc in ways we never imagined possible just a decade ago. The three-point revolution has completely transformed how teams approach offense, and nowhere is this more evident than in the record books for most three-pointers in a single season.

The current record holder is Stephen Curry, who made 402 three-pointers during the 2015-2016 season with the Golden State Warriors. I still vividly recall watching that season unfold, game after game, marveling at how Curry was redefining what we considered possible from long range. What made this record particularly astonishing wasn't just the sheer volume - though hitting 402 threes in a single season remains mind-boggling - but the efficiency with which he achieved it. Curry shot 45.4% from three-point range that year while attempting an unprecedented 11.2 threes per game. The previous record, which Curry himself had set just the season before at 286, seemed almost pedestrian in comparison. I've been following basketball since the 90s, and I can tell you that nobody back then would have believed someone could average over five made threes per game for an entire season.

What fascinates me about Curry's record is how it represents both individual brilliance and a broader shift in basketball philosophy. During that 2015-2016 campaign, the Warriors won 73 games, breaking the previous NBA record, and Curry's shooting was the engine driving their historic success. I've always believed that records like this need context to be fully appreciated. For instance, when Ray Allen set the record at 269 in 2005-2006, it seemed untouchable. Allen was the prototype of the perfect shooter in that era - coming off screens, catching and shooting with flawless mechanics. But Curry transformed the very definition of a three-point threat by adding off-the-dribble threes from well beyond the arc and shooting with incredible accuracy even when heavily contested.

The evolution of this particular record tells a compelling story about how the game has changed. Back in the 1990-1991 season, when the three-point line was still viewed by many coaches as somewhat of a gimmick, the record stood at just 162 by Vernon Maxwell. That number seems almost quaint now, doesn't it? I sometimes wonder what players from that era would think if they saw today's game, where teams regularly attempt 40 or more threes per game. The record has been broken nine times since the turn of the millennium, with players like Curry, James Harden, and Klay Thompson pushing the boundaries of what's possible from long distance.

James Harden's 378 threes in the 2018-2019 season deserves special mention, as it represents the closest anyone has come to challenging Curry's record. Harden's approach was fundamentally different - he leveraged his incredible isolation skills and step-back three to create unprecedented volume, though with lower efficiency than Curry's historic campaign. Personally, I've always been more impressed with Curry's record because of the combination of volume and efficiency, but Harden's achievement showcases how different playing styles can both produce remarkable results from beyond the arc.

Looking at the current landscape, I'm convinced we'll see this record broken again within the next few years. Players like Luka Dončić and Trae Young are attempting threes at rates that would have been unthinkable even a decade ago, and the continued analytical emphasis on three-point efficiency means teams will keep encouraging high-volume shooting. The evolution of player development, with specialists focusing exclusively on three-point shooting from younger ages, suggests the next generation of shooters could push this record even higher. I wouldn't be surprised if we see someone approach 450 threes in a season within the next five years, especially as players continue extending their range to well beyond the current three-point line.

What often gets overlooked in discussions about three-point records is how much conditioning and basketball IQ factor into these achievements. Making 400 threes in a season requires not just shooting skill but incredible stamina to run through countless screens and the intelligence to find open spots in the defense. Having played basketball at the collegiate level myself, I can appreciate the physical and mental toll of maintaining that level of shooting precision over an 82-game season. The wear and tear on a shooter's legs alone makes Curry's 402 threes even more impressive when you consider he maintained his efficiency deep into the playoffs as well.

The strategic implications of this three-point revolution continue to shape how teams are built and how games are played. When I talk to coaches and players today, the conversation inevitably turns to spacing, floor geometry, and creating high-percentage three-point looks. The record for most threes in a season isn't just about individual accomplishment - it reflects basketball's ongoing transformation into a game where the three-pointer has become the most valuable weapon in a team's arsenal. As we look toward the future, I'm excited to see how this evolution continues and which player will next etch their name in the record books, pushing the boundaries of what we believe is possible from beyond the arc.