3 years, 3 months ago
Who is the best NBA shooter ever?
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M$1 Answer
Shooter of what type? by Field Goal percentage (lifetime)? Free Throws lifetime? Points for technique/style/ aesthetics/ mechanics? or Relative to who did the most for his team (i.e. MVP)?
For me, considering ALL of those factors, it has to by Michael Jordan. (Also because he has good shooting technique, imo.) Because he made his entire team play better. And while there are a lot of players are great in the game, no one also added (six) Championships like MJ. He was the most creative shooter, too. (I'm referring to that playoff shot against the Lakers where he penetrated into the paint, and at the last second switched to his left hand and laid it off the glass. Announcer Marv Albert went wild.) Those Playoffs & NBA All-Star Highlight reels prove that.
As far as Field Goal lifetime achievement, highest percentage shooter, for BOTH the NBA and the ABA, it's former Chicago Bulls Artis Gillmore with a lifetime average (NBA/ABA) of 0.5819. For just NBA, Gillmore is STILL the lead in percentages (lifetime) in the NBA with 0.5990.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/fg_pct_career.html
Funny, your question doesn't even mention MJ, Chamberlin, Lanier, Gervin, Erving, Shaq, Kobe, Russell, Kareem Abdul Jabar, Barkley, and a whole host of other Hall of Famers (present and future).
Also, while I think a lot of people are likely to put MJ in the top five of your list, he doesn't even make the top 100 for best Field Goal percentage (career lifetime) in the NBA. Neither does Larry Bird, Price or Miller. But the FG stats don't mean Michael Jordan was the #120th player ever in the league-- does it? So, stats aren't really an accurate measurement.
What's cool, imo, is that Darryl Dawkins is #5 on the all-time list. I think he was an under-rated player, and too often forgotten. He was amazing.
The same site has stats for Free Throws, Playoffs, Reg season etc.
Here's the top 20 for Field Goals (by career lifetime stats) -
NBA (does not include ABA)
Rank Player FG%
1. Artis Gilmore .5990
2. Shaquille O'Neal .5806
3. Mark West .5803
4. Steve Johnson .5722
5. Darryl Dawkins .5720
6. James Donaldson .5706
7. Bo Outlaw .5673
8. Dwight Howard .5661
9. Jeff Ruland .5637
10. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* .5595
11. Kevin McHale* .5538
12. Bobby Jones .5504
13. Buck Williams .5492
14. Larry Nance .5461
15. Otis Thorpe .5457
Eddy Curry .5457
17. Cedric Maxwell .5455
18. Carlos Boozer .5416
19. Charles Barkley* .5405
20. Adrian Dantley* .5402
The obvious is that Forwards and Centers have a higher percentage than guards (like MJ), because it's a higher percentage shot for the position (and for their height advantages in the paint) relative to the basket.
Even if you disagree, watching these highlights is fun.
For me, considering ALL of those factors, it has to by Michael Jordan. (Also because he has good shooting technique, imo.) Because he made his entire team play better. And while there are a lot of players are great in the game, no one also added (six) Championships like MJ. He was the most creative shooter, too. (I'm referring to that playoff shot against the Lakers where he penetrated into the paint, and at the last second switched to his left hand and laid it off the glass. Announcer Marv Albert went wild.) Those Playoffs & NBA All-Star Highlight reels prove that.
As far as Field Goal lifetime achievement, highest percentage shooter, for BOTH the NBA and the ABA, it's former Chicago Bulls Artis Gillmore with a lifetime average (NBA/ABA) of 0.5819. For just NBA, Gillmore is STILL the lead in percentages (lifetime) in the NBA with 0.5990.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/fg_pct_career.html
Funny, your question doesn't even mention MJ, Chamberlin, Lanier, Gervin, Erving, Shaq, Kobe, Russell, Kareem Abdul Jabar, Barkley, and a whole host of other Hall of Famers (present and future).
Also, while I think a lot of people are likely to put MJ in the top five of your list, he doesn't even make the top 100 for best Field Goal percentage (career lifetime) in the NBA. Neither does Larry Bird, Price or Miller. But the FG stats don't mean Michael Jordan was the #120th player ever in the league-- does it? So, stats aren't really an accurate measurement.
What's cool, imo, is that Darryl Dawkins is #5 on the all-time list. I think he was an under-rated player, and too often forgotten. He was amazing.
The same site has stats for Free Throws, Playoffs, Reg season etc.
Here's the top 20 for Field Goals (by career lifetime stats) -
NBA (does not include ABA)
Rank Player FG%
1. Artis Gilmore .5990
2. Shaquille O'Neal .5806
3. Mark West .5803
4. Steve Johnson .5722
5. Darryl Dawkins .5720
6. James Donaldson .5706
7. Bo Outlaw .5673
8. Dwight Howard .5661
9. Jeff Ruland .5637
10. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* .5595
11. Kevin McHale* .5538
12. Bobby Jones .5504
13. Buck Williams .5492
14. Larry Nance .5461
15. Otis Thorpe .5457
Eddy Curry .5457
17. Cedric Maxwell .5455
18. Carlos Boozer .5416
19. Charles Barkley* .5405
20. Adrian Dantley* .5402
The obvious is that Forwards and Centers have a higher percentage than guards (like MJ), because it's a higher percentage shot for the position (and for their height advantages in the paint) relative to the basket.
Even if you disagree, watching these highlights is fun.
videos:
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M$
Good attempt. I was more so looking for three point shooter, distance shooter, foul shooter, etc. The player who never missed, had a great shot, not necessarily someone who could go to the basket and lay it up.