Kyle Korver was so good at making the net sway that he was able to troll LeBron James three years after he retired.
The King of the NBA sank his 2,450th 3-pointer on Tuesday during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 127-100 road loss to the Phoenix Suns.
Kyle Korver was ahead of the curve in being a 3-point specialistCredit: Getty
With another 3 in his 22nd pro season, the league’s all-time leading scorer — who rivals Michael Jordan as the NBA’s GOAT — moved into a tie for seventh place on the career made 3s list.
James tied one of the greatest sharpshooters of all-time.
“Took you long enough,” said Korver, in a text to TNT that was read live on the air during a broadcast.
“Korver was a terrific shooter,” announcer Kevin Harlan added.
But in the ever-changing NBA, a 43-year-old who spent 17 seasons shooting 42.9 percent on 3s is quickly being forgotten.
Korver being tied with James on the all-time 3 list is a testament to the talent and resilience of a California native who played college ball at overlooked Creighton and wasn’t selected until the No. 51 overall pick in the 2003 draft.
Korver once scored 11 points in a minute, averaged 9.7 points for six teams, and was a 2014-15 All-Star selection with Atlanta.
The 3-point specialist who helped set the stage for Stephen Curry was ahead of the curve in the NBA’s long-range shooting expansion.
Korver was also infamously traded for a copy machine, and he played for Philadelphia, Utah, Chicago, Cleveland and Milwaukee as he kept carving out a spot in The Association.
“I was the 51st pick to the New Jersey Nets,” Korver said. “I found out shortly afterwards that I’d been traded to Philly.
Korver had to wait for LeBron James to match him in the NBA record bookCredit: Getty
James and Korver twice reached the NBA Finals togetherCredit: Getty
Stephen Curry benefited from Korver’s ability to consistently knock down 3-pointersCredit: Getty
“I’m not sure if ‘traded’ is the right word. I was more or less sold for an undisclosed amount of money.
“I later found out they used that money to pay for the entry fee for the Summer League team and with the leftover money they bought a copy machine.”
Now the assistant general manager for the Atlanta Hawks, Korver set the NBA’s single-season record for 3-point percentage (53.6) and was James’ teammate on Cavaliers teams that made back-to-back NBA Finals in 2017 and ’18.
“That left wing and corner were automatic ever single time,” one fan tweeted.
“Kyle the man Korver,” a second fan posted.
“If given the opportunity, Korver could score double digits in EVERY GAME,” a third fan wrote.
He was also ahead of the curve on social media, with fans regularly comparing his looks to Hollywood star Ashton Kutcher.
“I’m not sure if Kyle Korver and Ashton Kutcher have ever been in the same room at the same time,” one fan tweeted.
“Early in my career it was like a daily thing,” Korver said. ” ‘Yo, Korver, you got punked!’ ”
Korver is the only player in NBA history to lead the league in 3-point percentage four times.
And when The King of basketball finally reached him on the all-time 3 list, one of the best shooters in history reminded James that he’d been waiting for years.
Korver sank his 2,450 3s in 1,232 games.
James has played in 1,509 games, which means that it took the Lakers legend more than three seasons’ worth of contests to catch the second-round pick from Creighton.
