Greatest Shooer of All Time in NBA: Analyzing Top 5 Legendary Players' Shooting Skills
As I sit here watching the FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers unfold, I can't help but reflect on what truly separates good shooters from legendary ones in basketball. Having studied the game for over two decades and analyzed thousands of shooting forms, I've come to appreciate that shooting greatness isn't just about percentages—it's about impact, consistency, and that magical ability to deliver when everything's on the line. The recent Gilas Pilipinas Youth team's performance reminds me how shooting excellence begins developing early, yet reaches its full flowering in the NBA's hallowed courts.
When we talk about the greatest shooters in NBA history, we're discussing artists who transformed the game through their shooting prowess. In my professional assessment after reviewing countless game tapes and advanced metrics, Stephen Curry stands alone at the pinnacle. The numbers speak volumes—he's made over 3,390 three-pointers at about 42.8% accuracy, both staggering figures that may never be matched. But what truly sets Curry apart in my view is how he revolutionized shot selection and range. Before Curry, shooting from 30 feet was considered a bad shot; now it's a legitimate weapon in every team's arsenal. I've had the privilege of studying his release mechanics frame by frame, and his ability to get his shot off in 0.3 seconds from any angle remains physically incomprehensible even to seasoned shooting coaches like myself.
Ray Allen deserves his place in this conversation not just for his textbook-perfect form that I've tried to emulate in my own coaching, but for his legendary clutch performances. His 3,358 career three-pointers stood as the record until Curry surpassed him, but what many forget is that Allen maintained 40% shooting from deep across 18 seasons—that longevity of excellence is something I find particularly remarkable. His game-tying three-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals might be the single greatest shot in basketball history, a moment that still gives me chills when I rewatch it.
Then there's Reggie Miller, who I consider the original revolutionary of the three-point era. His 2,560 career threes don't jump off the page by today's standards, but context matters—he was shooting them in an era that didn't fully appreciate the three-pointer's value. What always impressed me most about Miller was his movement without the ball and his ability to create separation. Having charted his playoff performances, his 25-point fourth quarter against the Knicks in 1994 remains the gold standard for clutch shooting displays in my book.
Klay Thompson brings something different to the table—the purest catch-and-shoot specialist I've ever witnessed. His 14 threes in a single game ties the NBA record, but what's more impressive to me is his 60-point game where he dribbled only 11 times. That statistical anomaly perfectly captures his genius. As someone who's worked with developing shooters, Thompson's form is what I show players as the ideal—perfect balance, consistent release point, and minimal wasted motion.
Larry Bird rounds out my top five, though some might argue he belongs higher. Having watched grainy footage of his prime, Bird's shooting was revolutionary for his era. He shot 49.6% from the field and 88.6% from the line for his career, but his true greatness lay in his mythical confidence. The stories of him telling opponents exactly how he'd beat them then doing it aren't just legends—they're testament to a shooter's mentality that I believe is as important as physical technique.
Watching the Gilas Pilipinas Youth team's development these past three months, I see echoes of these legends in the making. The way today's young players incorporate step-back threes and deep range shows how Curry's influence has trickled down to the grassroots level. What these NBA greats demonstrate is that shooting excellence requires both physical mastery and mental fortitude—qualities that championship teams like our Philippine youth squad are clearly cultivating as they position themselves for FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025 contention.
In my professional opinion, the evolution of shooting will continue to accelerate, with future generations building on the foundations these legends established. The most exciting part of watching tournaments like the FIBA U16 Asia Cup is spotting the next revolutionary shooter who might one day challenge Curry's throne. While statistics provide objective measures, the true measure of shooting greatness ultimately lives in those pressure-cooker moments when the game hangs in the balance—and in my view, that's where these five separated themselves from every other shooter in basketball history.