Three - point field goal - wikipedia Three - point field goal This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( January 2013 ) In American and Canadian football, a field goal happens to be worth three points. Sara Giauro shoots a three - point shot at the 2005 FIBA Europe Cup Women 's Finals A three - point field goal ( also 3 - pointer or informally, trey ) is a field goal in a basketball game made from beyond the three - point line, a designated arc surrounding the basket. A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two points awarded for field goals made within the three - point line and the one point for each made free throw. The distance from the basket to the three - point line varies by competition level : in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) the arc is 23 feet 9 inches ( 7.24 m ) from center of the basket ; in FIBA and the WNBA the arc is 6.75 metres or 22 feet 1 ⁄ inches ; and in the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) the arc is 20 feet 9 inches ( 6.32 m ). In the NBA and FIBA / WNBA, the three - point line becomes parallel to each sideline at the points where the arc is 3 feet ( 0.91 m ) from each sideline ; as a result the distance from the basket gradually decreases to a minimum of 22 feet ( 6.71 m ). In the NCAA the arc is continuous for 180 ° around the basket. There are more variations ( see main article ). In 3x3, a FIBA - sanctioned variant of the half - court 3 - on - 3 game, the `` three - point '' line exists, but shots from behind the line are only worth 2 points. All other shots are worth 1 point. Contents 1 History 2 Rule specifications 3 Related concepts 4 See also 5 References 6 External links History The three - point line was first tested at the collegiate level in 1945 in a game between Columbia and Fordham, but it was not kept as a rule. At the direction of Abe Saperstein, the American Basketball League became the first basketball league to institute the rule in 1961. Its three - point line was a radius of 25 feet ( 7.62 m ) from the baskets, except along the sides. The Eastern Professional Basketball League followed in its 1963 -- 64 season. The three - point shot later became popularized by the American Basketball Association ( ABA ), introduced in its inaugural 1967 -- 68 season. ABA commissioner George Mikan stated 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. '' During the 1970s, the ABA used the three - point shot, along with the slam dunk, as a marketing tool to compete with the NBA ; its ninth and final season concluded in the spring of 1976. The official scorer 's report showing the first three - point field goal in NBA history on October 12, 1979 Three years later in June 1979, the NBA adopted the three - point line for a one - year trial for the 1979 -- 80 season, despite the view of many that it was a gimmick. Chris Ford of the Boston Celtics is widely credited with making the first three - point shot in NBA history on October 12, 1979 ; the season opener at Boston Garden was more noted for the debut of Larry Bird ( and two new head coaches ). Rick Barry of the Houston Rockets, in his final season, also made one in the same game, and Kevin Grevey of the Washington Bullets made one that Friday night as well. The sport 's international governing body, FIBA, introduced the three - point line in 1984, at 6.25 m ( 20 ft 6 in ), and it made its Olympic debut in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. The NCAA 's Southern Conference became the first collegiate conference to use the three - point rule, adopting a 22 - foot ( 6.71 m ) line for the 1980 -- 81 season. Ronnie Carr of Western Carolina was the first to score a three - point field goal in college basketball history on November 29, 1980. Over the following five years, NCAA conferences differed in their use of the rule and distance required for a three - pointer. The line was as close as 17 ft 9 in ( 5.41 m ) in the Atlantic Coast Conference ( ACC ), and as far away as 22 ft ( 6.71 m ) in the Big Sky. Used only in conference play for several years, it was adopted by the NCAA in April 1986 for the 1986 -- 87 season at 19 ft 9 in ( 6.02 m ) and was first used in the NCAA Tournament in March 1987. The three - pointer was adopted in women 's basketball on an experimental basis for that season at the same distance, and made its use mandatory beginning in 1987 -- 88. In 2007, the NCAA lengthened the men 's distance by a foot to 20 ft 9 in ( 6.32 m ), effective with the 2008 -- 09 season, and the women 's line was moved to match the men 's in 2011 -- 12. American high schools, along with elementary and middle schools, adopted a 19 ft 9 in ( 6.02 m ) line nationally in 1987, a year after the NCAA. The NCAA used the FIBA three - point line ( see below ) in the National Invitation Tournament ( NIT ) in 2018. For three seasons beginning in 1994 -- 95, the NBA attempted to address decreased scoring by shortening the distance of the line from 23 ft 9 in ( 7.24 m ) ( 22 ft ( 6.71 m ) at the corners ) to a uniform 22 ft ( 6.71 m ) around the basket. From the 1997 -- 98 season on, the NBA reverted the line to its original distance of 23 ft 9 in ( 22 ft at the corners, with a 3 - inch differential ). Ray Allen is currently the NBA all - time leader in career made three - pointers with 2,973. In 2008, FIBA announced that the distance would be increased by 50 cm ( 19.7 in ) to 6.75 m ( 22 ft 1 ⁄ in ), with the change being phased in beginning in October 2010. In December 2012, the WNBA announced that it would be using the FIBA distance, starting in 2013. The NBA has discussed adding a four - point line, according to president Rod Thorn. In the NBA, three - point field goals have become increasingly more frequent along the years, with effectiveness increasing slightly. The 1979 - 80 season had an average 2.2 three - point goals per game and 6.6 attempts ( 33 % effectiveness ). The 1989 - 90 season had an average 4.8 three - point goals per game and 13.7 attempts ( 35 % effectiveness ). The 2009 - 10 season had an average 6.4 three - point goals per game and 18.1 attempts ( 36 % effectiveness ). The 2016 - 17 season had an average 9.7 three - point goals per game and 27.0 attempts ( 36 % effectiveness ). Rule specifications A three - point line consists of an arc at a set radius measured from the point on the floor directly below the center of the basket, and two parallel lines equidistant from each sideline extending from the nearest end line to the point at which they intersect the arc. In the NBA and FIBA standard, the arc spans the width of the court until it is a specified minimum distance from each sideline. The three - point line then becomes parallel to the sidelines from those points to the baseline. The unusual formation of the three - point line at these levels allows players some space from which to attempt a three - point shot at the corners of the court ; the arc would be less than 2 feet ( 0.61 m ) from each sideline at the corners if it was a continuous arc. In the NCAA and American high school standards, the arc spans 180 ° around the basket, then becomes parallel to the sidelines from the plane of the basket center to the baseline ( 5 feet 3 inches or 1.60 metres ). The distance of the three - point line to the center of the hoop varies by level : Arc radius Minimum distance from sidelines NBA 23 ft 9 in ( 7.24 m ) 3 ft 0 in ( 0.91 m ) FIBA, WNBA 22 ft 2 in ( 6.76 m ) 4 ft 1 in ( 1.24 m ) NCAA 20 ft 9 in ( 6.32 m ) 4 ft 3 in ( 1.30 m ) U.S. high schools 19 ft 9 in ( 6.02 m ) 5 ft 3 in ( 1.60 m ) A player 's feet must be completely behind the three - point line at the time of the shot or jump in order to make a three - point attempt ; if the player 's feet are on or in front of the line, it is a two - point attempt. A player is allowed to jump from outside the line and land inside the line to make a three - point attempt, as long as the ball is released in mid-air. An official raises his / her arm with three fingers extended to signal the shot attempt. If the attempt is successful, he / she raises his / her other arm with all fingers fully extended in manner similar to a football official signifying successful field goal to indicate the three - point goal. The official must recognize it for it to count as three points. Instant replay has sometimes been used, depending on league rules. The NBA, WNBA, FIBA and the NCAA specifically allow replay for this purpose. In NBA, FIBA, and WNBA games, video replay does not have to occur immediately following a shot ; play can continue and the officials can adjust the scoring later in the game, after reviewing the video. However, in late game situations, play may be paused pending a review. If a shooter is fouled while attempting a three - pointer and subsequently misses the shot, the shooter is awarded three free - throw attempts. If a player completes a three - pointer while being fouled, the player is awarded one free - throw for a possible 4 - point play. Conceivably, if a player completed a three - pointer while being fouled, and that foul was ruled as either a Flagrant 1 or a Flagrant 2 foul, the player would be awarded two free throws for a possible 5 - point play. Related concepts Major League Lacrosse features a two - point line which forms a 15 - yard ( 14 m ) arc around the front of the goal. Shots taken from behind this line count for two points, as opposed to the standard one point. In gridiron football, a standard field goal is worth three points ; various professional and semi-pro leagues have experimented with four - point field goals. NFL Europe and the Stars Football League adopted a rule similar to basketball 's three - point line in which an additional point was awarded for longer field goals ; in both leagues any field goal of 50 yards ( 46 m ) or more was worth four points. The Arena Football League awards four points for any successful drop kicked field goal ( like the three - point shot, the drop kick is more challenging than a standard place kick, as the bounce of the ball makes a kick less predictable, and arena football also uses narrower goal posts for all kicks than the outdoor game does ). During the existence of the World Hockey Association in the 1970s, there were proposals for two - point hockey goals for shots taken beyond an established distance ( one proposal was a 44 - foot ( 13.4 m ) arc, which would have intersected the faceoff circles ), but this proposal gained little support and faded after the WHA merged with the NHL. It was widely believed that long - distance shots in hockey had little direct relation to skill ( usually resulting more from goalies ' vision being screened or obscured ), plus with the lower scoring intrinsic to the sport a two - point goal was seen as disruptive of the structure of the game. The Super Goal is a similar concept in Australian rules football, in which a 50 - meter ( 55 yd ) arc determines the value of a goal ; within the arc, it is the usual 6 points, but 9 points are scored for a `` super goal '' scored from outside the arc. To date the super goal is only used in pre-season games and not in the season proper. The National Professional Soccer League II, which awarded two points for all goals except those on the power play, also used a three - point line, drawn 45 feet ( 14 m ) from the goal. It has since been adopted by some other indoor soccer leagues. See also 50 -- 40 -- 90 club, exclusive group of players who have made at least 50 % of two - pointers, 40 % of three - pointers, and 90 % of free throws in a season. List of National Basketball Association career 3 - point scoring leaders References Jump up ^ `` Article 5 : Scoring '' ( PDF ). 3x3 Official Rules of the Game. FIBA. January 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2017. Jump up ^ Frazier, Walt ; Sachare, Alex ( 1998 ). The Complete Idiot 's Guide to Basketball. New York City : Penguin Group. Jump up ^ `` ABA playoff plans set ''. Eugene Register - Guard. ( Oregon ). Associated Press. July 12, 1967. p. 4D. Jump up ^ Deford, Frank ( November 27, 1967 ). `` Shooting for three ''. Sports Illustrated. p. 22. Jump up ^ `` 4 - Point Play Gets Approval By ABA ''. Associated Press. July 11, 1967. Retrieved June 17, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Four ABA clubs gain NBA okay ''. Eugene Register - Guard. ( Oregon ). Associated Press. June 18, 1976. p. 1C. Jump up ^ `` Burial of the ABA a fact ; next step a dispersal draft ''. Eugene Register - Guard. ( Oregon ). Associated Press. June 19, 1976. p. 1C. Jump up ^ Deford, Frank ( June 28, 1976 ). `` One last hurrah in Hyannis ''. Sports Illustrated : 64. Jump up ^ `` NBA votes 3 - pointer in, 3rd ref out ''. Reading Eagle. ( Pennsylvania ). Associated Press. June 22, 1979. p. 24. Jump up ^ `` NBA approves 3 - point goal, goes back to two referees ''. Eugene Register - Guard. ( Oregon ). Associated Press. June 22, 1979. p. 5D. Jump up ^ Newman, Bruce ( January 7, 1980 ). `` Now it 's bombs away in the NBA ''. Sports Illustrated. p. 22. Jump up ^ `` The History of the 3 - Pointer - iHoops ''. Web.archive.org. 16 December 2010. Archived from the original on 16 December 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2017. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) Jump up ^ `` Bird only ' so - so, ' but Celts win over Houston ''. Deseret News. ( Salt Lake City, Utah ). UPI. October 13, 1979. p. 4A. ^ Jump up to : `` Celtics, 114 - 106 ''. Eugene Register - Guard. ( Oregon ). October 13, 1979. p. 5C. Jump up ^ `` NBA standings ( and boxscores ) ''. Deseret News. ( Salt Lake City, Utah ). October 13, 1979. p. 5A. Jump up ^ Sanders, Steve ( February 9, 1981 ). `` 22 will get you 3 ''. Spartanburg Herald. South Carolina. p. B1. ^ Jump up to : `` Basketball ''. Southern Conference. Retrieved July 30, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Carr 's shot makes cage Hall of Fame ''. Gadsden Times. Alabama. Associated Press. May 31, 1981. p. 36. Jump up ^ `` Three - pointer turns 25 ''. Eugene Register - Guard. ( Oregon ). Associated Press. December 3, 2005. p. B3. Jump up ^ McCallum, Jack ( November 29, 1982 ). `` It will be one testy season ''. Sports Illustrated : 42. Jump up ^ `` Monson not so high on the 3 - point shot ''. Lewiston Morning Tribune. ( Idaho ). wire services. November 11, 1982. p. 6B. Jump up ^ `` Debate over 3 - pointer Continues ''. Web.archive.org. 26 July 2010. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2017. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) Jump up ^ `` NCAA approves 3 - point goal ''. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. April 3, 1986. p. 27. Jump up ^ `` 3 - point goal draws mixed reviews ''. Reading Eagle. ( Pennsylvania ). April 3, 1986. p. 42. Jump up ^ `` Three - point basket adopted ''. Eugene Register Guard. ( Oregon ). April 3, 1986. p. 1B. Jump up ^ McCallum, Jack ( January 5, 1987 ). `` The three - point uproar ''. Sports Illustrated : 40. Jump up ^ Butts, David ( April 3, 1986 ). `` NCAA adds three - point basket ''. Bryan Times Agency = UPI. p. 12. ^ Jump up to : `` NCAA Women 's Basketball Playing Rules History '' ( PDF ). NCAA. Retrieved August 23, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Important Rules Changes by Year '' ( PDF ). NCAA Men 's Basketball Record Book. NCAA. Retrieved August 23, 2017. Jump up ^ Lynch, John ( 27 March 1987 ). `` High School Basketball Draws Line, Adopts 3 - Point Rule ''. Los Angeles Times. Jump up ^ Bonagura, Kyle ( February 27, 2018 ). `` NIT to experiment with new rules this season ''. ESPN.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018. Jump up ^ `` NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for 3 - Pt Field Goals Basketball-Reference.com ''. Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016 - 05 - 19. Jump up ^ `` NBA has discussed bigger court, 4 - point shot ''. Espn.go.com. 2014 - 02 - 25. Retrieved 2017 - 03 - 05. Jump up ^ NBA League Averages - Basketball Reference Jump up ^ `` Rule No. 1 -- - Court Dimensions -- Equipment ''. NBA Official Rules. Retrieved 19 October 2010. Jump up ^ `` Official Basketball Rules 2010 ''. FIBA. Retrieved 6 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` 2009 Court Diagram '' ( PDF ). NCAA. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 28 June 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2010. Jump up ^ `` Basketball Court Diagram '' ( PDF ). Nebraska School Activities Association. Retrieved 10 December 2011. Jump up ^ `` Description of the NBA 's new instant replay rules ''. NBA.com. October 23, 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2008. Jump up ^ Denham, Greg ( February 14, 2012 ). `` NAB Cup 's ruck and holding rules may run season ''. The Australian. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. External links NBA. com 's Top 10 three - pointers from past 25 years Article on Columbia 's experimentation with the three - point field goal decades before its official introduction `` Long Live the Three '' by Steve Shutt, Basketball Hall of Fame Basketball Outline of basketball General topics History of basketball James Naismith Variations of basketball Leagues Statistics Glossary of terms Index of articles Rules Bonus Jump ball Officials Turnover Violation 3 seconds Offense Defense 5 seconds Basket interference Carrying Double dribble Goaltending Shot clock Traveling Foul Flagrant Personal Technical Game play Air ball Alley - oop Assist Backboard shattering Ball hog Block Buzzer beater Cherry picking Dribble Crossover Dunk Euro step Fadeaway Fast break Fly Flop Jump shot Layup Finger roll Field goal Four - point play Free throw Hook shot Moves Pick and roll Positions Posterized Playbook Rebound Point Screen Back screen Slashing Steal Three - pointer Three - point play Uncontested shot Strategy General Sixth man Offense Continuity offense Flex Shuffle UCLA High Post Wheel Dribble drive motion Four corners Motion Princeton Run and gun Grinnell System Nellie Ball Small ball Triangle Defense 1 - 2 - 1 - 1 1 -- 3 -- 1 2 -- 3 zone Amoeba Box - and - one Double team Full - court press Hack - a-Shaq Jordan Rules Line Man - to - man Match - up zone Triangle - and - two Zone Equipment Backboard Ball Breakaway rim Court Half court Key Net Possession arrow Whistle Clothing Basketball sleeve Finger sleeve Air Jordan Chuck Taylor All - Stars Miscellaneous 100 - point scorers 50 -- 40 -- 90 club AAU All - Americans AAU champions Mikan Drill Player tracking Shootaround Tip drill Winning streaks Basketball statistics Basic Games played Games started Minute Point Rebound ( Offensive Defensive ) Assist Steal Block Foul Turnover Field goal & free throw Field goal made 3 - point field goal made Free throw made Field goal attempted 3 - point field goal attempted Free throw attempted Field goal percentage 3 - point field goal percentage Free throw percentage Doubles Double - double Triple - double Quadruple - double Quintuple - double Five - by - five Advanced statistics Offense efficiency rating Player efficiency rating Offensive rating Defensive rating Effective field goal percentage True shooting percentage Rebound rate Economy Performance Index Rating Efficiency Player tracking Tendex Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Three-point_field_goal&oldid=854817273 '' Categories : Basketball terminology American Basketball Association American Basketball League ( 1961 -- 63 ) Scoring ( sport ) 1961 introductions Hidden categories : CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown Articles needing additional references from January 2013 All articles needing additional references Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca Català Deutsch Ελληνικά Español Français Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Lietuvių Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Русский Українська 中文 7 more Edit links This page was last edited on 14 August 2018, at 00 : 33 ( UTC ). 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Question: when did the three point line start in basketball
Answer: 1961