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How many points is a 3-pointer?

Author

William Rodriguez

Published Jan 17, 2026

Basketball 3-Pointer

A shot made from anywhere outside the line to the baseline on the other side of the court counts for three points.

How many points is a 3-pointer worth in basketball?

A field goal worth three points is called a three-pointer. Any shot that a player makes from outside the three-point line is a three-pointer.

How many points do you get for a 3-pointer?

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.

How many points is a 3 point shot worth?

The three-point line in basketball is an arc-shaped line near each basket that determines how many points a successful shot is worth in basketball. If a shot is made from on or inside this line, it is worth two points. If the shot is made from beyond the line it is worth three points.

How many points is a 2 Pointer?

A 2-pointer in basketball is a shot scored anywhere inside the three-point arch. This includes the paint, midrange and at the rim. All of these shots count for two points, unless taken from the free-throw line for a foul shot.

39 related questions found

How many points is a dunk?

A slam dunk, also simply known as dunk, is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air, controls the ball above the horizontal plane of the rim, and scores by shoving the ball directly through the basket with one or both hands. It is a type of field goal that is worth two points.

What is a 1 pointer in basketball?

A one point shot occurs after a player is fouled in the act of shooting. The player then stands behind the free throw line and each shot they make is worth one point. A two point shot occurs when a player makes a basket inside of the three point arc while a three point shot occurs when they shoot outside of the arc.

What is a 3-pointer in basketball?

Definition of three-pointer

: a basketball shot or field goal from beyond the three-point line.

Does a 3-pointer count if you jump over the line?

Your feet must be completely behind the three-point line before you shoot. If your toe touches the line as you jump, for example, the shot is only worth two points. If you're behind the line when you jump, but land on the line after you release the ball, a successful shot is worth three points.

How far is a 3 point shot?

Though the distances differ between all levels of basketball, the 3-point line is universal. The NBA has a 22-foot 3-point line in the corners and a 23-foot, 9-inch line elsewhere. The WNBA and the international game plays with a 20-foot, 6-inch line.

Can you touch the 3 point line?

The shooter may not be touching the floor on or inside the three-point field goal line. The shooter may contact the three-point field goal line, or land in the two-point field goal area, after the ball is released.

How far is the college 3 point line?

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved changes to the 3-point line that sees the distance moving to 22 feet, 1 ¾ inches, matching that of the international distance.

Where is the 3 point line?

At the top of the arc, the three-point line is 6.75 meters from the center of the basket or 22.15 feet. This measurement works out to about 22 feet, two inches. The FIBA three-point line, which has also been adopted by the WNBA, is over a foot and a half closer than the NBA line.

Where is the 3 point line measured from?

Three Point lines differ as follows: NBA Basketball Courts – the 3 point arc is 22 feet to the center of the rim on the sides with a straight line extending out 16 feet 9 inches from the baseline. Past those points the line extends out 23 feet 9 inches from the center of the rim.

What constitutes a 3 point shot?

A 3-pointer in basketball is a shot scored anywhere outside the three-point arc. A shot made from anywhere outside the line to the baseline on the other side of the court counts for three points.

What does the F stand for in beef?

From Tara VanDerveer, remember the acronym "BEEF" - Balance. Eyes. Elbow. Follow-Through.

How many points do you get for a free throw?

A free throw is worth one point. Free throws are awarded to a team according to some formats involving the number of fouls committed in a half and/or the type of foul committed.

How many points is a jump shot worth?

A standard field goal refers to any regulation shot a player attempts from inside the three-point line. Field goals can take the form of jump shots, layups, slam dunks, and tip-ins. While these shots vary in difficulty, the number of points per shot remains the same: they are always worth two points.

Is there a 4 pointer in basketball?

A four-point shot (also called a four-pointer) is a shot in a basketball game made from a part of the court designated for a four-point shot. The designated area is typically farther from the basket than the three-point arc.

How do you score 2 points in basketball?

2-Point Baskets

The most common type of scoring in basketball is the 2-point basket. This is any shot that is made from inside of the 3-point line (22 feet) and can be done with a jump shot, layup or dunk.

Who hit the first 3 pointer in NBA history?

Late in the first quarter, Chris Ford hits the first 3-pointer in NBA history. Six players hit 3s that night. Because Ford's 3 came in the first quarter of the early slate of games, it's believed his shot was the first in history.

What is a tomahawk dunk?

Basketball. A shot made by jumping high into the air and pushing the ball through the basket with a sharp downward motion, thought to resemble a blow made with a tomahawk.

Was dunking banned in the NBA?

He averaged 29.0 points and 15.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Meanwhile, the Bruins were 88–2 with Abdul-Jabbar on campus. They won the first three of their record seven straight national championships. However, a ban on dunking imposed in 1966 forced the big man to get creative with his offensive repertoire.

Can you dunk a free throw?

In 1956, in response to reports that Wilt Chamberlain was able to dunk free throws, the NCAA established a rule requiring that free-throw shooters keep both feet behind the free-throw line during an attempt. The NBA later adopted this rule.