Bleacher Report just dropped their highly anticipated ranking of the 99 greatest shooters in NBA history, and the very first name on the list, at #99, is already turning heads! Desmond Bane is putting up numbers from deep that only Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have consistently hit in league history. Talk about a statement right out of the gate! The B/R NBA staff voted on this monster list, digging into everything from standard and advanced metrics to era context, considering both pre- and post-three-point line legends, and even all the wild defensive rule changes over the years.
Bane and Reaves: The New-School Flame Throwers Igniting the League
Let’s be real, if they redo this exercise in five or ten years, Desmond Bane is almost certainly flying way up this list. The guy’s career averages are insane: 2.5 threes per game while shooting a sizzling 40.7 percent from beyond the arc. And get this: only Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson match or exceed both of those marks! Yeah, part of that rarity is because Bane came along right into the heart of the three-point revolution, but plenty of other players have had the time and just haven’t matched his prowess. This isn’t just some standstill catch-and-shoot specialist either; Bane does a ton of his damage on the move or off the dribble, and his compact, technically sound form stays consistent throughout.
Then you’ve got Austin Reaves, clocking in at #97. For some of the older-school fans, his inclusion might feel “too soon,” but come on, the dude has rapidly ascended from an undrafted feel-good story to one of the most dynamic offensive players in the NBA. His career three-point percentage might not jump off the screen like some others on this list at 36.8 percent, but that’s still above average for his career, and a huge chunk of his attempts are off the dribble, contested, or both! Having a tough shot-maker like that can take a ton of pressure off the rest of an offense. It’s wild what these guys are already doing.
Terry Porter: An OG Three-Point Pioneer in a Different Era
But hey, let’s not forget the OGs who paved the way. Terry Porter, ranked #98, made a name for himself early in his career as one of the league’s top playmakers and distributors, averaging 9.1 assists over a four-year stretch. Yet, he was also quietly emerging as a serious three-point threat in an era when that simply wasn’t as big of a deal! As his career progressed, he focused even more on outside shooting. By the end of it, Porter had a whopping nine seasons where he hit at least one three per game and shot 38 percent or better from deep. At the time, only Reggie Miller had more. That’s pure shooting right there, showing just how ahead of his time Porter really was. And coming in at #96, we’ve got Detlef Schrempf, another legend who made the cut for pure shooting prowess.
These rankings always spark a ton of debate, don’t they? Who’s too high, who’s too low, who got snubbed entirely? But seeing guys like Bane and Reaves already making their mark next to legends like Porter, it just makes you appreciate the art of shooting. The discussion’s just getting started, and you know everyone’s gonna have their hot takes on the rest of the list as it drops this week. Can’t wait to see who else made the cut and argue about it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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