12 Best NBA Shooters!!!
While the essential idea of putting the ball through a white net is universal, the techniques athletes use to do so vary widely. And shooting has to be the most complicated task in the whole gameplay of basketball.
There are not too many topics that bring widespread agreement among NBA fans or basketball in general.
Stephen Curry is the greatest 3-point shooter ever to walk the fac of this earth.
Forgive my audacity; I think we all can agree on that one.
Over the year, many people have been biased on the topic of whether or not height gives you the advantage to shoot the ball.
Height can be advantageous to the players to some extent, but it does not necessarily matter because the presence of other physical attributes like speed, strength, and agility contribute significantly.
Take, for instance, the GOAT himself, Steph Curry, and Dirk Nowitzki. The two have a considerable height difference. Curry stands 1.88 meters tall while Nowitzki measures 2.13 meters, yet both are considered the greatest shooters ever.
So in the game of basketball, height does not matter. It sure gives you other advantages, but when it comes to shooting the ball into the hoop, it requires years of practice, accuracy, and good leg and hand balance.
Today, Playersbio will be exploring shooting in all of its forms in an effort to trace its evolution.
Quick Overview
Before getting to the details, here is the list of the 12 Best NBA Shooters with rankings:
| Player | Status |
| 12. Peja Stojakovic | Retired (Dallas Mavericks- Last Played) |
| 11. JJ Redick | Retired (Dallas Mavericks- Last Played) |
| 10. Steve Kerr | Retired (San Antonio Spurs- Last Played) |
| 9. Dirk Nowitzki | Retired (Dallas Mavericks- Last Played) |
| 8. Kevin Durant | Active (Phoenix Suns) |
| 7. Steve Nash | Retired (Los Angeles Lakers- Last Played) |
| 6. Kyle Korver | Retired (Milwaukee Bucks- Last Played) |
| 5. Reggie Miller | Retired (Indiana Pacers- Last Played) |
| 4. Larry Bird | Retired (Boston Celtics- Last Played) |
| 3. Ray Allen | Retired (Miami Heat- Last Played) |
| 2. Klay Thompson | Active (Golden State Warriors) |
| 1. Stephen Curry | Active (Golden State Warriors) |
Best NBA Shooters
12. Peja Stojakovic
Peja Stojakovic is a former Serbian basketball player who played in the NBA for 16 seasons as a power forward.
He was drafted 14th overall in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings.
Throughout his 16 seasons in the league, he played for the Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, and Sacramento.
Along with impressive stats, the 2.08 meters small forward garnered some of the most prestigious accolades throughout his career.
He won the 2011 NBA Championship as a member of the Dallas Mavericks.
Likewise, Stojakovic won the NBA Three-Point Contest twice in his career.
Stojakovic is considered one of the best shooters in NBA history.
As a matter of fact, his 1,760 three-point field career goals was ranked 10th all-time at his retirement. And he ranks 23rd in this category as of this writing.
After years of super successful basketball, he announced his retirement on December 19, 2011, citing ongoing back and neck problems.
11. JJ Redick
Known for his impressive three-point and free-throw shooting, Duke University alumnus JJ Redick was drafted by the Orlando Magic in the 2006 NBA Draft.
The 1.93 meters shooting guard played 15 seasons in the NBA with the teams such as Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Dallas Mavericks.
Redick ranks 15 in all-time made 3s, just below LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, and Joe Johnson.
Similarly, he ranks 17th in 3-point field goal percentage.
He retired with a career clip of 41.5 percent, which included his absolute best of 47.5 percent in the 2015 season.
During his career heyday, JJ made some shots that defied logic both inside and outside of the 3-point line and left his opponents scratching their brains.
But how does JJ compares with other greats? Well, he sits comfortably behind the big four Curry, Thompson, Ray Allen, Larry Bird, and a few others on our list.
10. Steve Kerr
The former point guard Steve Kerr currently serves as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association.
The nine-time NBA champion Kerr has won five titles as a player and four as a head coach.
He is considered one of the most prolific shooters of all time and has the highest career three-point field goal percentage of 45.4 percent.
Kerr also held the highest three-point percentage in a season at 52.4 percent until Kyle Korver surpassed the record in 2010.
Over the course of his 15 seasons in the NBA, he played 910 regular season games and retired after the 2003 NBA Finals.
Furthermore, Steve won the 1986 FIBA World Championship as a member of the U.S. national team.
9. Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a former German basketball power forward who currently serves as a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association.
Often considered one of the greatest power forwards of all time, the 2.13 meters tall athlete played in the NBA for 21 seasons.
Dirk is the highest-scoring foreign-born athlete in the history of the NBA.
One of the greatest shooters of all time, Nowitzki had a career free throw percentage of 87.9%.
Similarly, he is the leading scorer over the past 25 years at a distance from 12 to 20 feet.
Despite his position as a power forward, he sits at 42 on the list of all-time three-point field goals made.
8. Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant, better known by his initials KD is a basketball small forward who plays for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, KD has two NBA championships to his name.
On October 10, 2022, KD totaled 29 points, 12 assists, 12 rebounds, one steal, and two blocks in 35 minutes during the Nets’ 112-85 win over the Knicks.
He is considered one of the most accurate mid-range shooters to have ever lived, 38.1% from deep and 88.3 % from the line.
KD’s size and mechanics allow him to shoot difficult shots over defenders.
He played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns and was then drafted by the Seattle Supersonics second overall in the 2007 NBA Draft.
7. Steve Nash
The two-time NBA MVP, Stephen John Nash, aka Steve Nash, is a former basketball player who played in the NBA for 18 seasons.
Throughout his playing career, he played for the teams such as Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Nash was drafted 15th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 1996 NBA Draft.
He announced his retirement on 21 March 2015 and expressed his interest in pursuing a career as a coach.
He is regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all time and led the league in free throw percentage at various points in his career.
Nevertheless, despite his astounding NBA career, he did not win a single NBA championship.
6. Kyle Korver
On number six of our list of 12 best NBA shooters, we have the former basketball player Kyle Korver.
Korver played college basketball for the Creighton Bluejays and was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft.
During his time with the Utah Jazz, Korver shot 53.6 percent from three-point range, which set an NBA single-season three-point field goal accuracy record.
He ranks among the most prolific 3-point shooters of all time. Similarly, he ranks fifth all-time in 3-point field goals made and 10th in 3-point field goal percentage.
He left the sport in 2020 despite not announcing his retirement. Furthermore, Korver retired as the only player to lead the NBA in three-point shooting percentage four times.
5. Reggie Miller
The fifth-best NBA shooter is none other than Reginald Wayne Miller, aka Reggie Miller. He played in the NBA for 18 seasons with only one team; Indiana Pacers.
Nicknamed “Knick Killer,” Reggie was known for his precision three-point shooting in pressure conditions, mainly against the New York Knicks.
He currently ranks fourth on the list for most career-3-point field goals made behind Steph Curry, Ray Allen, and James Harden.
At the time of his retirement, he held the record for most career-3-point field goals made.
Moreover, Reggie currently works as a college basketball analyst for CBS Sports and NBA commentator for TNT.
The five-time All-Star Reggie was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
4. Larry Bird
The three times NBA champion, three-time NBA MVP, and one of the most known names in the basketball scene Larry Bird ranks fourth on our list of 12 best NBA shooters.
Larry Joe Bird, aka “the Hick from French Lick,” aka “Larry Legend,” played in the NBA for 13 seasons for the Boston Celtics.
Bird was drafted sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1978 NBA Draft.
He is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. In the era where the three-point shot was a back-breaker to a team, Larry was a remarkable three-point shooter.
To put the nail in the coffin, Larry would make a killer shot during the game in the line.
He could shoot extremely well from anywhere on the court. Interestingly, he scored 30 points in a game using just his left hand to prove a point.
3. Ray Allen
Ray Allen is a former basketball player who played for 18 seasons in the NBA.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Allen is considered to be one of the greatest three-point shooters of all time.
Until 2021 he held the record for most three-pointers made in a career which was surpassed by Stephen Curry.
The shooting guard was drafted 5th overall in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Besides, Timberwolves, Allen played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle Supersonics, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat.
The two-time NBA champion is also the ten-time NBA All-Star.
Allen’s clutch three-pointer to tie Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals with 5.2 seconds remaining is still considered one of the most memorable plays in the history of the NBA.
2. Klay Thompson
The shooting guard for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association, Klay Thompson, has four NBA championships to his name.
The 1.98 meters guard was drafted 11th overall in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft by the Warriors.
In 2014, Klay, along with his fellow Warrior Stephen Curry, set a then-NBA record with 484 combined three-pointers in a season. This collaboration earned the pair nickname of ‘the Splash Brothers.
He has a fantastic career 3-point shooting percentage of 41.7%.
Likewise, Klay holds the all-time record for 3-pointers made in a regular season game with 14.
The shooting guard currently ranks third in the all-time list of 3-pointers made in the postseason.
1. Stephen Curry
The point guard for the Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry, is the best shooter in the history of the NBA.
He is not just the best shooter in NBA history but also the man who is credited for revolutionizing the sport by inspiring teams and players to make more three-point shots.
Curry is one of the most decorated players in the league, with four NBA championships, two NBA Most Valuable Players, and an eight-time All-NBA selection.
He set the NBA record for three-pointers made in a regular season during the 2012-13 season with 272. Curry broke his own record with 286 in 2015 and 402 in 2016.
Curry and his fellow Warrior set the record for combined three-pointers made in an NBA season with 484 in the 2013-14 season, which they broke with 525 in 2015 and 678 in the 2015-16 season.
