Who Is The Greatest NBA Shooter Of All Time?

[G.O.A.T Squad Spokesman]

you seeing a trend developing about this list though @Blackthoughts ... how people are comparing from all eras by each player's body of work over time. How the average NBA career is 5+ years, especially for high volume scorer/shooters? I think Kevin Durant has already put in enough work to be on this list...but Steph's 4 years (1 year lower than the average NBA career) don't constitute a large enough body of work to be exalted as the TOP at this point.

He's in the conversation for sure. But he needs more time in the oven, more games. Shooting averages even out over time, injuries, playoff appearances and he'll experience the same trends as every other shooter who lived.

The reason it's different, in sports, than say comparing Biggie albums to other great albums is that we SCORE sports...as you've pointed out in every GSW-biased rebuttal...we go by both personal preference AND standard measurements so that there is a way to compare people. You keep reiterating a DISCRETE NUMBER to prove Steph is the greatest...and a lot of the guys here compared have many of those numbers by which to compare. Larry Legend had 3 3PT Contest wins, no losses...despite not making a certain NUMBER in the regular season, he was ice cold when it mattered. Reggie and Ray have the HIGHEST CAREER TOTALS, not just a single season of hot shooting. Steve Nash, Mark Price, Dirk and KD have accuracy numbers on their side...from all parts of the floor, Chris Mullin too.

Just develop a context outside of your favorite team/players and you'll better grasp why Steph isn't a "hands-down" great yet. He has every chance in the world to be one. He's just not that now. A LOT of players have single-season and single-game records. Sh*t a lot of players even have 3 season runs that are great. That doesn't put them in the all-timers club (see: Arenas, Houston).

Stats show there has never been a player that has started their first 4 years like Steph, I can say he's the best just
based off this graphic alone

Steph almost has as many 3's as KD has and will catch him by this season coming up. And Steph was never his teams first option like KD was until last season. No player has ever got to 600 3's faster than Steph has. Larry Bird only has 5 more 3 pointers in his career than Steph has right now......think about that for a second.

 

[drewbreez]

Where do guys like Korver , Hamilton, Cassell rank

I think Korver, Hamilton and Cassell are all top-notch shooters. Korver is a pure shooter and a specialist from long range. Hamilton and Cassell are probably two of the best mid-range shooters...Rip especially. I think what hurts them in terms of Top 5 or Top 10 consideration is that they were limited to certain parts of the court. When Rip put one foot behind that line, his range was done. Sam, too, for the most part. Both were excellent FT shooters though, in the 85+ per cent range for their careers. That ain't easy.

 

[drewbreez]

Stats show there has never been a player that has started their first 4 years like Steph, I can say he's the best just
based off this graphic alone

Steph almost has as many 3's as KD has and will catch him by this season coming up. And Steph was never his teams first option like KD was until last season. No player has ever got to 600 3's faster than Steph has. Larry Bird only has 5 more 3 pointers in his career than Steph has right now......think about that for a second.

How many more FTs has Kevin Durant hit than Steph? How many more games has KD played than Steph?
Steph could pass Kevin Durant on 3s if...Kevin doesn't play or something like that but...won't he continue to play next season? I haven't heard about an injury...have you? How many total playoff games has Larry Bird won? How many games has he won with his outstanding shooting? Steph's 1st playoff was bittersweet, in my view, because he LIT up teams and also battled that pesky ankle problem. As in, the first time he had serious run as a playoff contender, his body didn't hold up too well.

We'll see...

I continue to reiterate that being the best shooter of all time is NOT ONLY about hitting 3 point shots...or ONLY 2 point shots...or ONLY FTs...it's about all distance shooting OVER TIME.

 

[G.O.A.T Squad Spokesman]

How many more FTs has Kevin Durant hit than Steph? How many more games has KD played than Steph?
Steph could pass Kevin Durant on 3s if...Kevin doesn't play or something like that but...won't he continue to play next season? I haven't heard about an injury...have you? How many total playoff games has Larry Bird won? How many games has he won with his outstanding shooting? Steph's 1st playoff was bittersweet, in my view, because he LIT up teams and also battled that pesky ankle problem. As in, the first time he had serious run as a playoff contender, his body didn't hold up too well.

We'll see...

I continue to reiterate that being the best shooter of all time is NOT ONLY about hitting 3 point shots...or ONLY 2 point shots...or ONLY FTs...it's about all distance shooting OVER TIME.

fukk time it's about pace, and Steph has more 3's than the vast majority of the greats. By March of this year he'll have more than Jeff Hornacek ever made. So let's say it's not just about 3 point shots, where do you think the majority of his points come from? It surely ain't layups and free throws. I don't get how a person who thinks Biggie is one of the greatest rappers and he only had 2 albums could say Steph can't be considered the greatest shooter because he's only been in the league 4 years but in that 4 years he's made more 3's at a higher percentage than some great shooters that was in the league over a decade.

 

[drewbreez]

Steph Curry is the greatest shooter of all time, brehs.

 

[G.O.A.T Squad Spokesman]

Steph Curry is the greatest shooter of all time, brehs.

7 3pt attempts per game at a 45% clip, right now he's the greatest.

 

[drewbreez]

Steph Curry has more 3s than the vast majority of the greats, brehs.



Steph - 621
Dirk Nowitzki* - 1340
Ray Allen* - 2857
Mark Price - 976
Jason Kidd - 1988
Kevin Durant* - 701
Deron Williams* - 811
Steve Nash* - 1677

*Active players still taking & making 3PT shots.

 

[G.O.A.T Squad Spokesman]

Steph Curry has more 3s than the vast majority of the greats, brehs.



Steph - 621
Dirk Nowitzki* - 1340
Ray Allen* - 2857
Mark Price - 976
Jason Kidd - 1988
Kevin Durant* - 701
Deron Williams* - 811
Steve Nash* - 1677

*Active players still taking & making 3PT shots.

I wasn't talking about nikkas that are still playing. Steph has 644 3's in just 258 games played. Show me which guy on your list made that many in that many games or less while shooting over 44% and I'll say they're the best shooter.

 

[ill]

Bird is the greatest overall shooter of our time. Reggie and Ray are the greatest 3 point shooters of our time.

 

[drewbreez]

I wasn't talking about nikkas that are still playing. Steph has 644 3's in just 258 games played. Show me which guy on your list made that many in that many games or less while shooting over 44% and I'll say they're the best shooter.

What kind of random qualifier is that? Has he hit the most threes in the beginning of his career for a shooter? Yes.

No one is debating that point.

Does that make him the Greatest Shooter Of All Time? What does the thread's title question mean to you? The All-Time part?

Allan Houston - 1305 career threes
Dale Ellis - 1769
Paul Pierce - 1823

You realize pace isn't a result right? Do you think players maintain the pace that they shoot in their first four seasons in the league in their late 20s and early 30s?

 

[G.O.A.T Squad Spokesman]

What kind of random qualifier is that? Has he hit the most threes in the beginning of his career for a shooter? Yes.

No one is debating that point.

Does that make him the Greatest Shooter Of All Time? What does the thread's title question mean to you? The All-Time part?

Allan Houston - 1305 career threes
Dale Ellis - 1769
Paul Pierce - 1823

You realize pace isn't a result right? Do you think players maintain the pace that they shoot in their first four seasons in the league in their late 20s and early 30s?

Fam, dude averaged 7 3's a game and shot 45% from behind the arch. You'll never see that done again unless he does it. Percentage and Attempts is why I say he's the greatest. Them other nikkas took less per game at a worse percentage. If he ever shoots 42% from outside he'd be disappointed while those other guys would be elated, that's the difference.

 

[Eternal Tecate]

Ray Allen

Will be Curry soon enough

 

[drewbreez]

Fam, dude averaged 7 3's a game and shot 45% from behind the arch. You'll never see that done again unless he does it. Percentage and Attempts is why I say he's the greatest. Them other nikkas took less per game at a worse percentage. If he ever shoots 42% from outside he'd be disappointed while those other guys would be elated, that's the difference.

You should call the Hall Of Fame and let them know that's the new standard for Greatest Shooter status. Hit up Reggie Miller too...and Ray Allen...

I think you're on to something.

 

[G.O.A.T Squad Spokesman]

You should call the Hall Of Fame and let them know that's the new standard for Greatest Shooter status. Hit up Reggie Miller too...and Ray Allen...

I think you're on to something.

When discussing the greatest if you're not basing it on stats then you're basing it on preference. Obviously I have a dog in this fight because I'm a dubs fan so there's your preference but stats are on my side. I think we can come to a mutual agreement if I was to say Steph is on pace to become the undisputed greatest shooter ever if he stays healthy right? So how many years does he have to be in the league to qualify for that to you?

By Mike Tysons 21st birthday many were putting him in the greatest heavyweight of all time debate, before I even go there I think we can also agree that as of today we've never seen a guy as good at shooting as Steph is right? Let's take away the aspect of the greatest ever because the word greatest seems to have a connotation to many years so let's just ask the question of has there ever been a shooter that was as good at shooting as Steph is right now?

 

[drewbreez]

When discussing the greatest if you're not basing it on stats then you're basing it on preference. Obviously I have a dog in this fight because I'm a dubs fan so there's your preference but stats are on my side. I think we can come to a mutual agreement if I was to say Steph is on pace to become the undisputed greatest shooter ever if he stays healthy right? So how many years does he have to be in the league to qualify for that to you?

By Mike Tysons 21st birthday many were putting him in the greatest heavyweight of all time debate, before I even go there I think we can also agree that as of today we've never seen a guy as good at shooting as Steph is right? Let's take away the aspect of the greatest ever because the word greatest seems to have a connotation to many years so let's just ask the question of has there ever been a shooter that was as good at shooting as Steph is right now?

NO ONE has shot like he is shooting now. I keep saying, over and over, that is accurate and undeniable. His pace is incredible. I was a fan of his at Davidson and the ONLY worry I had about him in the league was his body size and being able to take contact throughout the turbulence of an NBA career. He is on pace to be one of the greats. But saying he is that now...it discredits ALL those dudes before him who did it very very very well.

You're right that no one's hit them at the pace he has to this point...
But you know what they have done that he hasn't?

• hit more free throws at a higher percentage over time
• hit more 3pt shots in the playoffs
• shot at ~50% from the field for multiple seasons

I think he needs about 2 more seasons at this pace to be in the top 10. He's that good. But until that time...