The Three-Point Revolution
The evolution of three-point attempt rate (3PAr) helps explain how the WNBA has changed since its inaugural season in 1997. In the league’s first two seasons, less than 20% of field goal attempts were threes. The rate climbed to a then-record 26.6% in 2012 before jumping to 28.4% in 2018.
That 2018 season marked the beginning of the three-point revolution. From 1997-2017, the league’s average 3PAr was 22.9%. Since 2018, it has risen to 32.7%. This season, teams are attempting threes on 36.9% of their field goal attempts, which would eclipse last year’s record of 36.0%.
The increase has been especially dramatic among expansion teams. Golden State set the record last season at 45.8% and is currently second all-time at 45.1%. The Fire currently rank fifth all-time at 42.4%. The Liberty have seven of the top 12 seasons all-time, one from each of the last seven seasons. This year’s team is on pace to set another franchise record.
The volume has increased without a major decline in efficiency. League-wide three-point percentage (3P%) was 33.7% from 1997-2017 and is 34.3% since 2018.
Even posts have caught the three-point bug. Centers (according to positions listed on Basketball Reference) went from attempting threes on just 6.0% of their field goal attempts from 1997-2017 to 15.1% since 2018, a 2.5x increase, while their 3P% improved from 32.0% to 33.7%.
The graphs and tables sort every qualifying post player (minimum of eight games) from 2017 and 2026 into five shooting profiles using identical thresholds: 22.6% 3PAr for volume and 34.3% 3P% for efficiency. Only five posts were high-volume and efficient in 2017 compared to 13 in 2026. Meanwhile, the number of posts who attempted zero threes fell from 17 to six.
The change extends beyond the overall numbers. Five posts who played in both seasons completely changed their shot profiles by significantly increasing their own three-point volume.
Until three-point efficiency starts to fall, posts will keep stretching the floor.