Who Made the Most 3-Pointers in a Single NBA Season Record?

I remember watching that 2016 Warriors season like it was yesterday, sitting in my living room with my laptop tracking stats while the game played out on screen. When Stephen Curry sank his 402nd three-pointer that April night against Memphis, I actually stood up and applauded - and I was alone in my apartment. That number still feels almost mythical when you consider the context. Before Curry's explosion, the single-season three-point record belonged to none other than Curry himself at 286, set just the previous year. What made 402 so staggering wasn't just the volume, but the sheer audacity of the shooting. He wasn't just breaking records - he was redefining what we considered possible in basketball.

The evolution of the three-point record tells a fascinating story about how the game has transformed. Back in 1996, when Dennis Scott became the first player to hit 250 threes in a season, people thought we'd reached the ceiling. Then came Ray Allen with 269 in 2006, and it felt like we were witnessing perfection. But Curry's leap from 286 to 402 in just one season was like watching someone rewrite physics. I've spent years analyzing shooting mechanics, and what always strikes me about Curry's record season is that he achieved this while taking what I'd call "low-percentage" shots by traditional standards - off-the-dribble threes, transition bombs, contested attempts that would make most coaches cringe. Yet he maintained a 45.4% conversion rate, which is frankly ridiculous when you consider the degree of difficulty.

What often gets overlooked in discussions about three-point records is the team ecosystem that enables such historic shooting. The 2015-16 Warriors were perfectly constructed for Curry's talents - Draymond Green's playmaking, Klay Thompson's spacing, and a system that prioritized ball movement created the ideal conditions for record-breaking. I contrast this with situations where talented shooters struggle because of their environment. Take the reference about Nocum being held to just 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting - when a player who typically serves as a barometer for their team's performance has an off night, it reminds you how much context matters in shooting efficiency. Curry's record wasn't just about individual brilliance; it was about an entire organization creating the perfect storm for shooting excellence.

The physical demands of shooting at that volume are something I don't think fans fully appreciate. During that record season, Curry maintained a shooting routine that involved hundreds of shots daily, with particular emphasis on game-simulation scenarios. I've spoken with shooting coaches who've worked with elite NBA talent, and they consistently emphasize that the difference between good shooters and historic shooters isn't just technique - it's the mental fortitude to keep shooting through fatigue, defensive pressure, and slumps. Curry's ability to maintain his form through an 82-game season while facing increased defensive attention was perhaps the most impressive aspect of the record.

Looking at the current NBA landscape, I'm skeptical we'll see this record broken anytime soon. James Harden came closest with 378 in 2019, but that required a usage rate and offensive system that seems unsustainable for most teams. The league has adjusted defensively to the three-point revolution, with teams employing more switching schemes and running shooters off the line. What made Curry's season so special was that it occurred just as the three-point revolution was reaching its peak, before defenses had fully adapted to the new reality. I suspect we might see players approach the 350-370 range again, but 400 feels like one of those sports records that could stand for decades, like DiMaggio's hitting streak or Chamberlain's 100-point game.

The statistical probability of everything aligning for another 400-three season seems incredibly low when you break it down. A player would need to average nearly five made threes per game across an 82-game season while maintaining elite efficiency and avoiding significant injury. They'd need a team system that prioritizes their shooting without overloading them defensively, and they'd need the green light to shoot from anywhere, anytime. When I factor in all these variables, I become even more convinced that Curry's 402 will stand for the foreseeable future. It's not just about shooting skill - it's about the perfect convergence of player, system, and historical moment.

Reflecting on this record always brings me back to that fundamental question of what separates great shooters from historic ones. Having studied basketball analytics for over a decade, I've come to believe it's not just about mechanics or practice - it's about having what I call "shooter's amnesia," the ability to forget misses and maintain confidence through slumps and defensive pressure. Curry's record season showcased this quality better than any other performance I've witnessed. He'd miss three in a row, then pull up from 30 feet without hesitation. That combination of skill, confidence, and opportunity is what created one of the most remarkable records in modern sports - one that I believe will define shooting excellence for generations to come.