The History of the Three-Point Shot
The History of the Three-Point Shot
Picture this: two basketball coaches in 1961, standing on an empty court with nothing but measuring tape and a wild idea. They pace off 25 feet from the basket, drop some tape on the floor, and unknowingly create what would become the most revolutionary rule change in basketball history. That's literally how the three-point line was born – no scientific studies, no computer models, just pure instinct from a couple of basketball minds who thought longer shots deserved bigger rewards.
Fast forward six decades, and that arbitrary line has completely rewritten basketball's DNA. I've spent over a decade covering this sport, watching players attempt shots that would have been considered insane just a generation ago. Stephen Curry routinely pulls up from distances that make traditionalists cringe and analytics nerds salivate. Kids on playgrounds worldwide now practice shots from the parking lot, dreaming of becoming the next long-range assassin.
The three-point shot isn't just a rule – it's a basketball revolution that transformed a game of giants into a democratic arena where a 6'3" guard can dominate like never before. This is the story of how a "gimmick" became the most important innovation in basketball history.
The Early Experiments: Testing the Waters
The three-point shot didn't emerge overnight. The three-point line was first tested at the collegiate level in 1945, with a 21-foot line, in a game between Columbia and Fordham, but it was not kept as a rule. There was another one-game experiment in 1958, this time with a 23-foot line, in a game between St. Francis (NY) and Siena. In 1961, Boston University and Dartmouth played one game with an experimental rule that counted all field goals as three points.
These early experiments showed that basketball innovators had been thinking about adding a longer-range shot for decades before it became mainstream. The concept was simple but revolutionary: reward players for making more difficult shots by giving them additional points.
The ABL Pioneers the Shot (1961)
At the direction of Abe Saperstein, the American Basketball League (ABL) became the first basketball league to institute the rule in 1961. As I've written extensively about basketball innovations, this decision by the ABL was truly groundbreaking.
To determine the distance the new shot line should be from the basket, Saperstein and longtime DePaul University coach Ray Meyer went onto a court one day with tape and selected 25 feet as the right length. "They just arbitrarily drew lines," his son Jerry Saperstein said. "There's really no scientific basis. Just two Hall of Fame coaches getting together and saying: 'Where would we like to see the line?'"
What's fascinating is how arbitrary this historic decision was. Two basketball minds simply eyeballed what felt right, and their judgment would eventually influence basketball worldwide.
The ABA: Making the Three-Point Shot Cool
The real breakthrough came when the American Basketball Association launched in 1967. The ABA distinguished itself from its older counterpart with a more wide-open, flashy style of offensive play, as well as differences in rules — a 30-second shot clock (as opposed to the NBA's 24-second clock, though the ABA did switch to the 24 second shot clock for the 1975–76 season) and use of a three-point field goal, pioneered in the earlier ABL.
The ABA wasn't just playing basketball – they were putting on a show. The ABA was a much flashier league than the NBA. In place of the traditional orange basketball it used a garish red, white and blue ball that, Celtics coach Red Auerbach frequently said, belonged on the nose of a circus seal. Its cheerleaders wore bikinis. Trash-talking and fights on the court were the norm.
ABA commissioner George Mikan stated that the three-pointer "would give the smaller player a chance to score and open up the defense to make the game more enjoyable for the fans". This philosophy perfectly encapsulates what the ABA was trying to achieve – a more entertaining product that showcased individual skill.
During its nine-year run, the ABA developed legendary shooters and showcased how the three-point shot could change game dynamics. As I've detailed in my coverage of ABA legends, players like "Machine Gun" Louie Dampier became household names for their long-range prowess.
When Did the NBA Add the 3-Point Line?
The NBA's Reluctant Adoption (1979)
The NBA initially resisted the three-point shot, viewing it as a gimmick. But three years later in June 1979, the NBA adopted the three-point line (initially on a one-year trial) for the 1979–80 season, despite the view of many that it was a gimmick.
On October 12, 1979, history was made. Chris Ford of the Boston Celtics is credited with making the first three-point shot in NBA history on October 12, 1979. The season opener at Boston Garden was more remarkable for the debut of Larry Bird (and two new head coaches).
Interestingly, that same night featured two future Hall of Famers making their NBA debuts – Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. As I've written about historic NBA debuts, few nights in basketball history have been as significant for the future of the game.
The Slow Build: 1980s-1990s
When the NBA introduced the 3-pointer in the 1979-80 season, it had minimal impact on the game at first. In the first five seasons, teams took less than three 3-pointers a game and made only a dismal 26% of them. It took a while until the 3-point shot was more widely accepted and utilized.
The numbers tell the story of gradual acceptance:
1979-80: Teams averaged just 2.8 three-point attempts per game
1986-87: Attempts began rising slowly
1994-95: The NBA temporarily moved the line closer, increasing attempts to 15.3 per game
1997-98: The line moved back to its original distance
Danny Ainge was the first player to make over 100 three-pointers in a season in 1988, draining 148 that season. In the following years, players like Ainge, Dale Ellis, Michael Adams, Vernon Maxwell and Reggie Miller gained a reputation as three-point specialists.
Reggie Miller became the poster child for three-point shooting excellence during this era. His clutch performances, particularly in playoff situations, showed how the three-point shot could change not just games, but entire series. As I've covered in clutch shooting performances, Miller's ability to hit from deep under pressure helped establish the three-pointer as a legitimate weapon.
The Analytics Revolution
The early 2000s brought analytics to basketball, and suddenly the three-point shot made perfect mathematical sense. Teams like the Phoenix Suns under Mike D'Antoni began implementing pace-and-space offenses that prioritized three-point attempts.
As detailed in various NBA analytics studies, the math was simple: a 33% three-point shooter scores at the same rate as a 50% two-point shooter. This realization began changing how coaches approached the game.
The Curry Revolution
Then came Stephen Curry. Point guard Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors are largely credited as the pioneers of the three-point revolution. Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the 2009 NBA Draft, 7th overall, Curry was considered the best three-point shooter in his draft class, and by the end of the 2012–13 season, was considered one of the best three point shooters in NBA history, when he broke the record for three-field goals made in a single season with 272.
But Curry didn't just break records – he shattered our understanding of what was possible. Curry isn't a product of the math; he's so good that he has his own math. His range and accuracy forced defenses to guard him from the moment he crossed half-court, fundamentally changing defensive strategies.
The Warriors' success validated the three-point revolution. In his first season with the team, Kerr coached the Warriors to a 67–15 regular season record, a then-franchise record, and Stephen Curry would win his first NBA MVP award. The Warriors' 27.0 3PA per game ranked only fifth in the 2014–15 regular season, but their efficiency, 39.8%, was the best in the league during the regular season.
Their 2015-16 season was even more historic. During their record-setting season the Warriors attempted the most three point shots per game with 31.6, and again lead the league in 3P% with a near-record 41.6%. During this season, the Warriors routinely beat opposing teams by double digits, averaging a point differential of 10.76, the 7th highest in NBA history.
The Modern Era: Three-Point Explosion
Today's NBA is almost unrecognizable from the league that reluctantly adopted the three-point shot in 1979. By the 2018–19 season, NBA teams averaged 32.0 attempts per game. Recent seasons have seen teams approach and sometimes exceed 40 attempts per game.
The Boston Celtics, as I've covered in modern NBA offenses, exemplify this trend. In recent seasons, nearly half of their shot attempts have come from beyond the arc – a number that would have been unthinkable just a decade ago.
Global Impact
The three-point revolution extends far beyond the NBA. FIBA introduced the 3-point line for international play in 1984, the NCAA used it first universally in 1987 and high school basketball followed a year later.
This global adoption has created a generation of players worldwide who grew up shooting threes. International players like Dirk Nowitzki and Peja Stojaković helped bridge the gap between different basketball cultures, as I've explored in international basketball influence.
The Current Debate
Not everyone loves the three-point revolution. A recent study by Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics sport analytics professor Shane Sanders and associate professor Justin Ehrlich shows that while the number of 3-point shots continues to increase, the average expected value of 3-pointers has become less than 2-pointers since the 2017-18 season.
Some argue the game has become too homogenized, with teams launching threes at unprecedented rates. Others worry about the decline of mid-range shooting and post play. As I've analyzed in NBA evolution debates, this tension between efficiency and entertainment continues to shape discussions about the game's future.
Looking Forward
The three-point shot's evolution isn't over. We're seeing players attempt shots from deeper and deeper ranges, with some regularly shooting from 30+ feet. The NBA has even discussed adding a four-point line, though no concrete plans exist.
What's certain is that the three-point shot has permanently altered basketball's DNA. From Chris Ford's historic first attempt to Curry's range extending past the logo, the three-point line has given basketball a dimension that makes every possession potentially explosive.
Conclusion
The history of the three-point shot is really the history of basketball's evolution into a faster, more dynamic, and more democratic game. It's given smaller players a way to compete with giants, created new strategic dimensions for coaches, and provided fans with moments of pure magic.
As someone who's covered this evolution closely, I can say with confidence that the three-point shot isn't just a rule change – it's a philosophy that has made basketball more exciting, more strategic, and more global than ever before. Whether you love the analytics or simply enjoy watching Curry pull up from the parking lot, the three-point shot has given us a game that would be barely recognizable to basketball's founders.
The line that started as an arbitrary measurement in a failed league has become the most influential innovation in basketball history. And if current trends continue, its impact on the game is far from over.
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