Damian Lillard vs Stephen Curry: Who's statistically the best deep shooter in NBA history?

Steph Curry and Damian Lillard are two of the best shooters in NBA history. Both have enjoyed historic moments in the NBA courtesy of their elite shotmaking ability. However, only Curry has translated his shooting skill into NBA championships. Lillard will hope his recent trade to the Milwaukee Bucks will help him follow suit.

Curry is unquestionably the best shooter in NBA history. However, that doesn't mean he is the best distance shooter in the league. In fact, Lillard has a history of hitting ridiculously long-range shots during games, especially in the clutch. As such, let's look at each player's career shooting from long-range to determine who is the better distance shooter.

Curry has taken 640 field-goal attempts from 30 feet or more during his career; this includes the playoffs. The four-time NBA champion has made 174 of those shots, giving him an overall shooting percentage of 27.2% from deep range in his career, per StatHead.

Lillard has enjoyed greater success when letting his shots fly from 30 feet or more. In his career, the Bucks superstar has taken 639 field goals from deep, including postseason games. He has converted 202 of them, giving him a 31.6% success rate, per StatHead.

Considering Curry has only taken one more long-range shot than Lillard, it's clear that Lillard is the better long-range 3-point shooter — by a considerable margin.

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Who has enjoyed the more successful career between Steph Curry and Damian Lillard

Damian Lillard might be the more talented distance shooter, but Steph Curry has tasted significantly more success. Curry has won four NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors and was named as the Finals MVP in 2022.

Furthermore, Steph Curry is a nine-time All-Star, two-time MVP, four-time All-NBA First Teamer and four-time All-NBA Second Teamer. Curry is a guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer when he calls time on his career.

Lillard's lack of success isn't down to being a less talented player. Instead, his struggles are due to the amount of time he spent with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Western Conference franchise struggled to build a contending roster around the superstar guard, limiting his opportunities for success on the biggest stages.

Nevertheless, Lillard is a seven-time All-Star, a former Rookie of the Year, a four-time All-NBA Second Teamer and a one-time All-NBA First Teamer. Considering the limitations of playing for the Trail Blazers, Lillard still found ways to be successful. Yet, that success was individual rather than as a team.

As such, Curry has had the most successful career to date and likely won't be losing sleep over his record when shooting from a distance.