What is a three-pointer?
A three-pointer is a basketball shot made from beyond the three-point line. It is worth three points instead of two. In the NBA, the line is 23 feet 9 inches from the basket at the top.
The three-point line is an arc around each basket. In the NBA, it is 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 meters) away at the top and 22 feet (6.7 meters) in the corners, where it runs straight. FIBA, which governs international basketball, uses a distance of 6.75 meters. A shooter must have both feet behind the line.
The NBA added the three-point line in the 1979-80 season, after the rival American Basketball Association had used it. At first, teams rarely used it. Over time, especially in the 2010s, teams realized three-pointers were very efficient, and now they take far more of them than ever before.
The greatest shooters
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors holds the record for the most three-pointers made in NBA history, passing Ray Allen in 2021. Curry is widely credited with changing how the game is played, inspiring players everywhere to shoot from long range.
Did You Know?
A four-point play happens when a player is fouled while making a three-pointer and then makes the bonus free throw.