Stephen Curry broke the NBA record for career made 3-pointers two years ago, and he continues to add to his tally. It seems like he could play well into his 40s. If he does, he will likely surpass 4,000 made 3-pointers for his career.
Many believe that Curry’s record will never be broken, or at least not for a very long time. However, there is one player who could potentially challenge Curry’s record. And it’s not a player you may immediately think of.
It’s not James Harden, who is expected to move into second place on the all-time list this season. It’s not Luka Doncic, who has the potential to reach 3,000 made 3-pointers but would need a significant improvement in his shooting percentage to reach 4,000. It’s not Damian Lillard or Paul George, who could finish in the top five all-time. And it’s not Curry’s teammate Klay Thompson, who has missed significant playing time due to injuries and is already 34 years old.
The player to watch is Buddy Hield. Over the past five seasons, Hield has finished with the second-highest total for made 3-pointers four times and fourth once. Since the 2017-18 season, no player, not even Curry, has made more 3-pointers than Hield’s 1,557.
In the last five seasons, Hield has averaged 276 made 3-pointers per season. If he maintains that pace this season, he will jump from 29th to 17th on the all-time list. With a few more made 3-pointers, he could surpass Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd, ranking 16th and 15th, respectively.
Hield made 288 3-pointers last season, second only to Thompson’s 301. He has been durable throughout his career, rarely missing games. Over the past two seasons, he has missed only three games.
Assuming both Curry and Hield play until they’re 40, Curry would have five more seasons to add to his record, while Hield would have ten. So far, Hield has averaged more made 3-pointers per season than Curry. If Hield continues to average 276 made 3-pointers over the next ten seasons, he would finish with just under 4,500 for his career.
Curry, on the other hand, is projected to make about 300 3-pointers per season over the next five years, which would put him at 4,890 for his career. While this is still a higher number than Hield, it’s not significantly higher. And it assumes that Curry does not suffer any long-term injuries in the next five years.
Although unlikely, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for Hield to break Curry’s record. Hield is considered one of the best 3-point shooters in NBA history, even if he is not often discussed in those terms. He has a wide range of shooting abilities and can make every type of 3-point shot.
Last season, Hield had impressive shooting percentages, including 45.8% on spot-up jumpers, 42% on pull-up 3-pointers, and 41.5% on catch-and-shoots. He also excelled in step-back 3-pointers, making 61% of his attempts. Overall, he shot 42.5% from three, with specific strengths from above the break (41.3%), the right corner (51.1%), and the left corner (45.7%).
Hield is known for his deadly shooting, and there is no doubt he will continue to excel for years to come. While Curry’s record may still stand for a long time, it’s possible that Hield could be the player to eventually surpass it.
