08-10-2019, 09:06 AM
The ABA existed from 1967-76 and utilized the 3 point shot throughout. The NBA implemented the 3 point shot in the 1979-80 season. Through the first 7 years of shooting 3 pt shots, the NBA never averaged above .282 in a season while during the same time frame the ABA never averaged below .283 with twice as many attempts. The NBA got off to a 'hot' start shooting .280 from the three in season one. But the next four years saw the shooting percentage above .25 only once. Then there began a surging that allowed the 3 point shooting percentage to bust through the .300 barrier in 86-87 by ending at .301. Then it was .316 the next season and the .350 level would eventually get broken at the end of the 94-95 season and generally stayed around .350 since then. So it took the NBA 16 seasons to be able to top .350 as a league and topping .350 as a league was something the ABA never did during its nine year existence. So there's a combined twenty-five seasons to break the .350 barrier from the three point line.