Kyrie Irving Surpasses Lakers' Kobe Bryant on Prestigious All-Time NBA List

The point guard passed the all-time great on a very prestigious list recently.

January 13, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott speaks with point guard Kyrie Irving (2) and Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The NBA game has changed a lot in the last couple of decades. One of the biggest changes is the explosion in the 3-point shot.

So many players are skilled enough to shoot threes in the NBA now. In fact, a lot of teams want all of their players on the floor at a given time to be able to hit threes.

The Los Angeles Lakers didn't play that way when Kobe Bryant was in the league. It was used, but not as a primary part of the offense.

Even so, Bryant made a ton of threes. He finished his career in the top 30 in career 3-pointers made.

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With how prominent the 3-point shot is in today's game, he was bound to get passed by several people once he retired. He has already been passed by a lot of active players.

The most recent player to pass Bryant on the all-time list is Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving. He did so after their most recent game against the Thunder.

Irving has now moved to 27th all-time and Bryant has shifted down to 28th. Bryant will likely continue to slide down as the years go by.

Kyrie Irving has surpassed Kobe Bryant on the NBA’s all-time 3PM list 🤝 pic.twitter.com/cqKcXc7JlH

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 18, 2025

Bryant did not take as many threes per game as players are today. The most threes per game that he took in his career was 7.1, and that was his final season when he couldn't get by anyone anymore.

For his career, Bryant averaged just 4.1 3-point attempts per game. Some players today take eight or nine threes per game.

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Irving has had a much different kind of career. The most threes per game he took in one season was 8.3. He's averaging 6.9 per game this year.

The 3-point shot continues to be a fabric of the game that won't be slowed down. There will be dozens of players who will pass Bryant in the next couple of years on this list.

For his career, Bryant averaged 25 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. Irving is averaging 24 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this season for the Mavericks.

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