As the analytics revolution transformed offensive basketball, the volume of three-point shooting has skyrocketed in the WNBA.
In 2021, 11 of the league’s 12 teams attempted 500 or more threes. In 2022, all twelve teams attempted over 600 threes, and the New York Liberty set the single-season record (for the second consecutive year) with 349 made threes. To put this in perspective, the Houston Comets led the league in threes made in 1997 with a grand total of 169.
Let’s go over some advanced analytic concepts: three points are, in fact, more than two. So, being able to hit more 3-pointers than your opponent is a good thing. Still with me?
Having players on your roster that can cash in from deep at key points in the game is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity.
In order to identify who the truly elite three-point shooters are in the WNBA, we need to focus on reliability, volume, and efficiency. Can you consistently take and make a large number of three-point shots against the league’s best defenses?
We often see one-year flashes of shooting brilliance, but the best of the best can do it for multiple seasons in a row. To flesh out any outlier shooting numbers, I established the following criteria for this list:
- Must have been an active player (not retired) heading into the 2023 season
- Must have played in more than the league average number of games (44) from 2020-2022
- Must average more than 3 3PA per game from 2020-2022
- Must shoot higher than league average 3P% (34.48%) from 2019-2021
After setting the aforementioned filters, only 25 players made the cut. We ranked them in order based on their three-point shooting percentage over this three-year span
The Top Three-Point Shooters in the WNBA
| # | Player | TYA 3P% | TYA 3PA/G |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kelsey Plum | 40.99% | 6.177 |
| 2 | Riquna Williams | 40.46% | 4.676 |
| 3 | Natisha Hiedeman | 39.72% | 4.000 |
| 4 | Rachel Banham | 39.71% | 3.337 |
| 5 | Alysha Clark | 39.16% | 3.255 |
| 6 | Sami Whitcomb | 38.75% | 4.954 |
| 7 | Allisha Gray | 38.39% | 3.974 |
| 8 | Jewell Loyd | 38.29% | 5.517 |
| 9 | Allie Quigley | 38.17% | 4.793 |
| 10 | Jasmine Thomas | 37.57% | 3.352 |
| 11 | Sophie Cunningham | 37.50% | 3.848 |
| 12 | Kelsey Mitchell | 37.43% | 6.224 |
| 13 | Ariel Atkins | 37.27% | 5.489 |
| 14 | Courtney Vandersloot | 36.68% | 3.012 |
| 15 | Jonquel Jones | 36.56% | 3.783 |
| 16 | Kayla McBride | 36.34% | 4.306 |
| 17 | Breanna Stewart | 36.14% | 5.061 |
| 18 | Marina Mabrey | 36.08% | 5.282 |
| 19 | Tina Charles | 36.03% | 4.049 |
| 20 | Arike Ogunbowale | 35.64% | 7.048 |
| 21 | Rebecca Allen | 35.41% | 4.180 |
| 22 | Betnijah Laney | 35.38% | 3.365 |
| 23 | Skylar Diggins-Smith | 35.23% | 4.595 |
| 24 | Damiris Dantas | 35.18% | 4.148 |
| 25 | Diana Taurasi | 34.58% | 8.500 |
TYA = Three Year (2020-2022) Average
Who is the best three-point shooter in the WNBA?
Kelsey Plum is the best three-point shooter in the WNBA. Between 2020-2022, Plum has increased both her attempts and efficiency year-over-year. Among players who averaged over three 3-point attempts per game in the past three seasons, her shooting percentage is the best in the entire league.
Plum’s shot arsenal includes pull-ups in transition, quick pulls coming off of screens, off-ball movement, and more. There isn’t a three-point shot that Kelsey Plum won’t take and make!
Related: Top 10 Defensive Players in WNBA History
Michael Burns
Founder of HoopSocial. Girl Dad. WNBA stan. Syracuse Orange and Charlotte Hornets fan. Sarcasm is my native tongue. You can follow me on Twitter at @mike_hoopsocial.