Last month, Kon Knueppel became the fastest player in NBA history to reach 100 three-pointers, hitting the mark in just 29 games. With this being 12 games quicker than the previous record, he did not just beat the previous mark, but absolutely smashed it. By making history so decisively, Knueppel has already sparked discussion about whether he could go on to challenge more three-point milestones over the course of his career.
Three Point Records Keep Being Set
Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel has become the fastest player in NBA history to make 100 career three-pointers. 👌
1. Kon Knueppel – 29 Games
2. Lauri Markkanen – 41 Games
3. Keegan Murray – 42 Games
4. Luka Doncic – 42 Games
5. Brandon Miller – 43 Games pic.twitter.com/YOsaLidqGZ— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) December 23, 2025
When you look at the fastest players to reach 100 career three-pointers, a clear pattern emerges: they are all active players. That makes it difficult to judge how predictive early shooting volume is for long-term success, but it does show how quickly modern players are encouraged to shoot from deep.
| Player | Games |
|---|---|
| Kon Knueppel | 29 |
| Lauri Markkanen | 41 |
| Keegan Murray | 42 |
| Luka Doncic | 42 |
| Brandon Miller | 43 |
Doncic has already had more seasons than Murray and Miller, and despite being only 26, he currently sits inside the top 60 on the all-time three-point list. If he maintains his current pace and enjoys a normal-length career, he is on track to challenge James Harden for second place. Markkanen, now 28, is unlikely to reach those heights but could still push into the top 10 before he retires.
The fact that all of the names above are active, and that the fastest player to reach 200 three-pointers is also active (Victor Wembanyama), highlights the shift in the modern game. The so-called three-point revolution began in the mid-2010s and has fundamentally changed shot selection across the league. After the introduction of the three-point line in 1979, NBA teams averaged just 2.8 attempts per game. By the 2018/19 season, that figure had jumped to 32.0 attempts per game.
The Three Point Revolution
This tactical shift toward three-point shooting now appears to have become the absolute norm, which is good news for the current generation of potential record-breakers. For context, in 2005/06 teams averaged 16 three-point attempts per game. By 2012/13, that number had risen to 20. It was not until the 2018–19 season that teams broke the 30-attempt barrier for the first time. Going forward, we are likely to see between 35 and 40 three-point attempts per game being the norm.
| Season | 3 Point Attempts Per Season |
|---|---|
| 18/19 | 32.0 |
| 19/20 | 34.1 |
| 20/21 | 34.6 |
| 21/22 | 35.2 |
| 22/23 | 34.2 |
| 23/24 | 35.1 |
| 24/25 | 37.6 |
| 25/26 (in-progress) | 36.9 |
Recent league-wide averages show a high but relatively stable volume of three-point shooting, suggesting the environment is set for long-term accumulation. Ultimately, this means that in five to 10 years’ time, the all-time three-point leaderboard is likely to look very different from how it does today.
Most 3 Pointers in NBA History
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Here is how the current all-time leaderboard for successful three-pointers looks.
| Rank | Player | Total (as of 30th December) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steph Curry | 4167 |
| 2 | James Harden | 3277 |
| 3 | Ray Allen | 2973 |
| 4 | Damian Lillard | 2804 |
| 5 | Klay Thompson | 2779 |
| 6 | LeBron James | 2579 |
| 7 | Reggie Miller | 2560 |
| 8 | Kyle Korver | 2450 |
| 9 | Paul George | 2386 |
| 10 | Vince Carter | 2290 |
From this list, almost everyone has either retired or is closing in on retirement. The three youngest players in the top 10, Lillard, George and Thompson were all born in 1990 and entered the league between 2010 and 2012, before the three-point revolution really took hold. Because of this, it is reasonable to expect that players who spend their entire careers in the modern era, such as Knueppel, will eventually surpass many of these totals. They may struggle to surpass Steph Curry, however.
Curry: A One-of-a-Kind Outlier
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Curry’s position so far out in front is a testament to his outstanding accuracy and willingness to take on so many throws from distance. He has not merely benefited from the three-point revolution, he helped cause it.
While others will likely pass Ray Allen, Reggie Miller and even James Harden in time, Curry’s blend of efficiency and volume sees him set a high bar for future challengers. Any serious challenge to his record would require an unusually healthy, long career paired with historically great shooting. Bear in mind that Curry could very feasibly exceed the 5,000 mark before he retires.
Can Knueppel Take the Number One Spot?
At just 20 years old, it is far too early to make definitive claims about Knueppel’s long-term ceiling. However, his early numbers are undeniably encouraging. His three-point percentage currently sits at an impressive 42.8%, marginally higher than Curry’s career average of 42.2%. This level of accuracy is sustainable in theory, and it would not even be unprecedented. Steve Kerr finished his career at 45.4%, while Hubert Davis ended at 44.1%. The bigger questions are durability, role, and volume.
If Knueppel can maintain elite accuracy while taking a high number of attempts each season, and avoid major injuries, then Curry’s record could eventually come under threat. That said, those are significant ‘ifs’. Knueppel’s conversion rate could very easily drop significantly, as the current sample size is still small. It is also possible that NBA tactics shift again in the future, though there is currently little evidence to suggest a move away from three-point-heavy offences. Ask us again in five years!