Ranking the Top 10 Shooters in NBA History
Ranking the Top 10 Shooters in NBA History
The NBA’s greatest shooter of all time, Stephen Curry, recently secured a spot in the NBA Finals while winning the Western Conference MVP award. This only shows the value of having shooters in the NBA, so let’s analyze the best shooters in the NBA of all time.
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10. Steve Nash
Nash was a pass-first point guard, so his shooting is severely underrated because his volume of shots was less frequent than other players ahead of him. Because he’s a pass-first player, he values getting this highest quality shot, whether a teammate or himself shoots it, securing the fact that he’s going to be shooting good looks on the court. The shots he did take were wildly accurate, as he has the second-highest all-time free throw percentage, following only Stephen Curry.
9. Mark Price
As a multiple-time three-point contest winner, Price automatically deserves a spot on this list. His career free throw percentage is tied with Steve Nash as second on the all-time board, furthering his case to be on this list. His efficiency was incredible, landing himself on the 50-40-90 club, accompanied by some very elite, highly efficient players.
8. Steve Kerr
This is where the list gets hard. Kerr shot an all-time high of 45% from beyond the arc, securing his spot at eight, if not higher. He won multiple championships as a player, and added more to his resume as a coach while actively coaching two of the best shooters of all time, and allowing them to shoot quality shots.
7. Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk is the best big-man shooter of all time, and with little question to it. The only question that can be asked is volume but stretching the floor as a big man wasn’t nearly as prevalent in Dirk’s playing days. His turnaround fade is one of the most iconic shots in NBA history. Not only is it iconic, but it helped vault his Mavericks past the Miami Heat, one of the first super teams we’ve seen be created in the NBA.
6. Larry Bird
Bird was ahead of his time with his shooting ability, as he won the three-point shooting contest three times in a row. Throughout his career, he’s shown his ability to shoot difficult shots and knock them down at an elite level.
5. Kevin Durant
Durant’s size and mechanics, like Bird’s, allow him to shoot difficult shots over defenders. Durant shoots at a high level from any spot on the court, and if he’s left open you can count on the shot dropping. His shotmaking and shooting ability has led to Durant winning the scoring championship four times throughout his career.
4. Reggie Miller
Miller is often disrespected in this list, as he was at the point the greatest shooter in the league until these next few options surpassed him. Miller held the record for most three-pointers made at one point, that is until Ray Allen passed him in 2011. Miller was also one of the greatest shooters to join the 50-40-90 club. For many players, it will be hard to surpass Miller on this list of the greatest shooters of all time.
3. Ray Allen
As mentioned previously, in 2011, Ray Allen surpassed Miller for the most three-point shots made in league history. This would secure Allen as, at the time, the best shooter in the league. Towards the end of his career, Allen was the best role player and spot-up shooter a team could ask for and would have made a lot of money had he played in today’s league.
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2. Klay Thompson
Thompson doesn’t have the shots made to back up his elite skill, but he does have iconic moments to back it up. His iconic game 6 against the Thunder always shows up, as well as scoring 60 points while hardly dribbling the ball. His shooting ability earned him the record for the most three-pointers made in a game with 14 three-pointers made.
1. Steph Curry
Curry has every case as the best shooter of all time. To keep it simple, Curry changed the way the world views basketball, influenced the way kids play, and even began one of the craziest changes in the league that is now a perimeter-heavy league. Curry surpassed Miller and Allen to now own the most three-pointers made in his career. For two years, Curry owned the record for most three-pointers in a game with 13, before losing his record to his teammate Klay Thompson. He’s changed the idea that you need to have absurd athleticism, like LeBron James and a young prodigy similar to him, to have a great young career, rather than having an elite level jump shot and fundamental skills.
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