Arguably the most valuable skill in today’s NBA is shooting. The more shooting you have on your team, the more space you have for your offense to operate. The hardest thing to do in this league is guard elite offensive players in space. So who are the league’s best shooters right now?
Looking at three-point percentage, mid-range percentage, and shot volume we have a good idea on who these players are. Keep in mind this is as of right now at this point in the season. Not all time or who will be the best five at season’s end.
5. Joel Embiid
Yes, a 7-foot center and the reigning league MVP is one of the five best shooters in the game right now.
Ten of his 21 shot attempts per game come from 9 feet and in toward the rim. But eight of his 21 shot attempts come from 10-19 feet, and he’s shooting 54 percent on those shots, and he’s shooting 35 percent from three.
4. Luka Doncic
If you look up heliocentric offense in the NBA dictionary you’ll see a picture of Doncic, right next to one of peak Houston Rockets James Harden. The usage rate is absurd, and Doncic has remained efficient on high volume.
On 23 shot attempts per game he has an 57.4 and 62.4 eFG% and TS%. He is shooting 38 percent from three on 10 attempts per game.
3. Tyrese Haliburton
According to some advanced metrics he is the best offensive player in the game, and for those that dismiss advanced stats for raw metrics, hard to argue those either. He’s averaging 25 points per game on 50/42/84 shooting splits.
His eFG% and TS% are a ridiculous 60.7 and 65.3 respectively. Haliburton is shooting 53 percent in the midrange and 42 percent from three on nearly nine attempts per game.
2. Stephen Curry
It almost feels sacrilegious placing the best shooter of all time second on any shooting list. And in all honesty you could rearrange any of the top three depending on what you value the most.
Curry is shooting 41 percent from three on 11 attempts per game. Despite what is statistically his second-worst shooting season from three, he remains elite. That shows you how great this man is as a shooter. He also boasts 58 and 64 eFG% and TS% efficiency splits.
1. Kevin Durant
The master of the midrange leads the league in three-point shooting percentage at 48 percent on nearly five attempts per game. He’s still excellent in the midrange and just about everywhere else on the floor.
Durant is posting 58 and 64 eFG% and TS% efficiency splits on nearly 20 shot attempts per game. High volume and high accuracy.
