NBA Mid-Range Shooters: The three-point shot is the shot that receives the most attention in today’s NBA games. The three-point shooting craze has marginalised the skill of becoming a superb mid-range shooter and is even demonised by contemporary NBA supporters. I can sort of understand that. Shooting 6–12 from the NBA mid-range shooters is equivalent to shooting 4–8 from three points, and three points is more than two. Given how many players have built whole careers off of dominating from those areas, it has also been frustrating to watch the mid-range degenerate into a shot that players virtually avoid.
Imagine telling Kevin Durant or Michael Jordan that they were shooting “bad shots” because they capitalised so well on mid-range possibilities during their careers. It would be absurd. Naturally, those two guys weren’t the only ones who could shoot very well from slightly beyond the paint to slightly inside the three-point line. We are here today to honour the players who have perfected the art of the mid-range shot over the years, including those in the NBA today.
As the league continues to evolve, attacking players seem to have two options. manoeuvre the ball into the paint to draw a foul or score a basket, or manoeuvre it around until a three-point shot becomes available. This has left the NBA mid-range shooters hanging on for dear life. Here are 13 NBA players who have left a lasting legacy by using the NBA mid-range shooters as one of their primary weapons.
The 13 All-Time Greatest NBA Mid-Range Shooters
The top 13 NBA mid-range shooters in history are listed here.
1. Michael Jordan
I apologise to the fans of today who might find this offensive, but Michael Jordan is one of the best NBA mid-range shooters in history. Given that he finished his career averaging 30.1 points per game and has 10 scoring titles to his record, Jordan easily wins this award given that all of his shots were made from the midrange or, you got it, the rim.
Most supporters would use the argument that Jordan was a ball-hog or that he took too many shots to argue against this. I contended that he ought to be allowed to shoot as much as he wants, given that he has shot above 48.5% in ten of his fifteen seasons. Perhaps the most poetic component of Jordan’s repertoire is his mid-range game, which did not receive the recognition it deserved. Jordan was allowed much too much latitude to move and shoot the ball whenever he chose, which far too frequently resulted in the other team losing badly.
We already discussed how Kobe Bryant’s is the most potent tool. Imagine that, though, with steroids. Throughout his career, Jordan honed the turnaround fadeaway, employing his strength, agility, and talent to execute the most flawless signature play in NBA history. Jordan’s most pivotal moments and shots were almost exclusively from mid-range. It is reasonable to conclude that the all-time best scorer is the greatest shooter from that place when he utilises that particular section of the court to get the majority of his points.
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2. Kevin Durant
The argument that Kevin Durant is the best scorer in NBA history will be debated to the point of red ink by a large portion of the NBA community. Even if I disagree, Durant makes a strong case, which begins with his proficiency as a mid-range shooter and scorer. To even be discussed in this context, Durant, a four-time scoring champion and one of the most exceptional players in NBA history, had to have perfected the mid-range jumper.
More than seventy-three per cent of Kevin Durant’s shot attempts originate from within the three-point line, with 52.9% of them coming from the mid-range. He is easily one of the most effective mid-range scorers ever because there isn’t a single range inside those limitations when his shooting percentage falls below 45.0%.
These figures are undoubtedly mostly the result of Durant’s play style and physique. Being 7 feet 0 inches tall, Durant handles the ball like a point guard, which makes it much simpler for him to reach the mid-range locations where he shoots so well. His shots are almost unguardable, as he has been for the last 16 years, especially with the addition of his rapid release that already results from a high trajectory.
3. Kobe Bryant
If you didn’t believe Kobe Bryant’s name would be near the top of this list, you must be living in a world of denial. Throughout his 20-year career, Bryant developed the habit of imitating the style of play that made Michael Jordan so successful. However, Bryant was an even better mid-range shooter than Jordan due to his ability to produce some of the hardest shots you will ever see and battle through contact.
Jordan’s likeness was likewise reflected in Kobe’s bread and butter. Naturally, I’m referring to his iconic fadeaway jumper that is seen from the post or even farther away. Bryant had the ability to exploit any defender who stood in his way once he turned to face them and demanded the ball. After a stunning sequence of events, Kobe would get up, whirl, and fire one of the most flawless shots in history.
Over the course of his career, Bryant shot 41.2% and scored 5,566 points from the midrange. In addition to completing 40.2% of his attempts from 16–22 feet, he fired over 43.0% from 3–10 and 10–16 feet. Kobe Bryant ought to be among the guys that come to mind when you refer to someone as a “mid-range assassin.”
4. Larry Bird
The idea that Larry Bird was a great scorer and shooter, especially from three points away, was one of the many misconceptions surrounding him. Although he was effective and emerged victorious in a three-point shootout while wearing his warm-up jacket, his mid-range shooting ability was significantly more lethal than that of any other position on the court.
The reason why shooting statistics were nonexistent during Larry Bird’s heyday makes it difficult to understand his mid-range play from numbers. At six feet ten inches tall, though, Bird was able to send a shot above his head, which completely overwhelmed defences. For whatever reason, a lot of Bird’s accomplishments remain unacknowledged or are given little credit. When he was able to shoot the ball from wherever on the court, there was no denying how unstoppable he was.
5. Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki should be regarded as the greatest player of all time if Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett are to be credited as being the forerunners of the stretch forward from the mid-range. Nowitzki, who is 7 feet 0 inches tall, was able to effectively knock down jumpers from wherever on the court, which absolutely confused opponents. Equipped with an exquisite touch on the ball and an incredible shooting arc, Nowitzki rose to prominence as one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history.
With his back to the basket, Dirk Nowitzki really did the most of his damage from mid-range. Nowitzki steadily backed them down until he got his moment, the ball in his hands and the defender on his back. He would then spin and jump on one leg in a single move, followed by one of the most exquisite fadeaway jumpers you will ever witness.
Over the course of his career, Dirk made 13,219 shots from the midrange and shot an absurd 47.1%. 39.5% of his 31,560 career points would come from the mid-range, an astounding percentage. This elevates Nowitzki to the level of really exceptional mid-range shooting, and it’s possible that we won’t see another 7-footer rely on this aspect of his game with the same level of success in our lifetimes.
6. DeMar DeRozan
Out of all the NBA players playing today, DeMar DeRozan stands out. Throughout his career, he has seldom ever had a three-point shooting game to speak of. But he is and has consistently demonstrated, one of the best mid-range shooters to have ever graced the NBA floor.
With a career shooting percentage of 40.3% on over 6,400 attempts, DeRozan is among the greatest players in NBA history, having shot over 40.0% from the midrange. In actuality, two factors combine to give him the ability to score from mid-range. The first is the way he holds the ball and controls every movement. When combined with his ability to consistently vault over opponents, it’s one of the most deadly mid-range performances we’ve ever seen.
DeRozan poses a special threat when he is between 4 and 16 feet away. He shoots over 45.0% from this area of the floor, which is amazing because here is where he makes over 40.0% of his efforts. DeRozan is undoubtedly among our list’s top five scorers given his accuracy and volume as a mid-range shooter.
7. Allen Iverson
Few players in NBA history have amassed a CV as impressive as Allen Iverson’s in terms of scoring. He is a former MVP and four-time scoring champion who took a subpar team to the NBA Finals in 2001 and upset the dominant Lakers. Despite only being 6 feet 0 inches tall, he was a relentless scorer from every angle aside from the three-point line and had no qualms about driving the ball to the basket.
Iverson’s modest stature forced him to be creative from the mid-range, which helped him tremendously in his career aspirations. Despite being viewed as “inefficient” by many, Iverson’s shooting percentage of 40.4% from 16 to 22 feet is impressive, especially considering the quantity of shots he attempted.
Throughout his career, Iverson averaged 39.0% of his points from the mid-range, accounting for 6,562 of his 24,368 total points from mid-range jumpers and his superb floater technique. I will always respect Iverson’s ability to score points regardless of how long it takes him to do so or how “low efficiency” it necessitates.
8. Paul Pierce
Another player whose career ended not too long ago and is now vastly underappreciated is Paul Pierce. In actuality, Paul Pierce was not only one of the NBA’s most reliable players in history, but he was also one of its hardest shooters. Pierce was powerful, and while his face-up approach would account for the majority of his offence, his body was perhaps one of his best weapons when it came to creating space.
In crucial moments during a game, Pierce would frequently drive down the lane and abruptly stop for a short jump shot. In the unlikely event that a smaller defender was assigned to him, he would take him to task and beat him until the coach of the other team decided to make a change. Throughout his career, Pierce fired a scorching 41.3% from the mid-range on almost 7,000 tries, a percentage that any prolific shooter from that range would be happy to take.
Pierce was most effective while shooting from a distance of 10 to 22 feet. Over his career, Pierce shot 47.8% from two-point range and 41.4% from the field from that distance. There aren’t many NBA players in history that I would prefer to take the shot over Paul Pierce when the game is close.
9. Carmelo Anthony
We all knew Carmelo Anthony was going to be a unique offensive talent from the minute he made his NBA debut in 2003–04. Being exceptionally exceptional at all three levels is a must for winning scoring titles and ranking in the top 10 for career points. His exceptional mid-range play will always be recognised, even if he started to shoot three points much more frequently as his career went on.
In actuality, Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant are almost exactly the same in terms of their career efficiency. Throughout his career, Anthony has shot 41.1% from mid-range, compared to Bryant’s 42.2%. The fact that Anthony tried 3,000 fewer shots from those areas than Bryant is the only distinction between the two. Despite these variations, Anthony’s mid-range ability has contributed 25.7% of his career points, demonstrating the poise he employed to guarantee his place in history.
During his career, Anthony’s shooting percentage from 10 feet out to 22 feet was 41.5%, or 41.5% of all attempts. The most exquisite part of his mid-range game was when he played with his back to the basket, using his strength to create the necessary space to attempt the easiest shot. In the mid-range game, it doesn’t get much better than Carmelo Anthony.
10. Steve Nash
Rather than being remembered for his shooting prowess, Steve Nash is considerably more honoured as one of the finest playmakers and point guards in NBA history. Leading one of the most explosive offences in league history and winning assists championships every year was how the two-time MVP won those honours. People often overlook the fact that he was a skilled shooter at this period, which increased his offensive threat.
Nash has been inducted three times into the NBA’s 50/40/90 club, which is exclusive to the most productive scorers in the league. Even though he occasionally made threes, his finest and most consistent shots came from the midrange. Nash made an astounding 47.7% of his mid-range shots throughout his NBA career. More than any other position on the court during his career, the mid-range shot accounted for 27.7% of his 17,387 career points.
Nash became a hero in NBA history with his playmaking, but when he got the ball in his hands, his shooting made him the whole package. It is my goal that more people will keep researching and find out how much more lethal a mid-range shooter he was than is often acknowledged.
11. Reggie Miller
When one thinks about Reggie Miller, his shooting prowess is among the first things that spring to mind. Of course, the majority of people still remember him for his amazing three-point shooting, clutch plays when playing for the Indiana Pacers, as when he scored eight points in nine seconds, and his ownership of the New York Knicks due to the numerous times he shattered people’s hearts.
We did not have access to shooting data for seasons before 1998, but Miller was a mid-range killer in the later parts of his career even after that. Miller attempted 3,225 mid-range shots between 1998 and 2005, hitting on 43.6% of those attempts. During that timeframe, he scored 9,455 points, of which 29.8% came from the mid-range, demonstrating that he was much more than just a three-and-d player.
Miller has a right to be known as a three-point shooter, but if we could figure out his mid-range game from the beginning of his career, I can only imagine what his overall stats would be. It makes no difference where you get your shots on the court when you are the greatest shooter of all time. They will start to fall and will eventually pile up tremendously.
12. Kawhi Leonard
One of the top two-way players in the NBA throughout the 2010s, Kawhi Leonard was a defensive mastermind and an almost robotic performer on the floor. His ability to choose his spots, generate enough space to get there, and knock down jumpers at a fast rate of speed thanks to his exquisite touch and high-release mid-range jumper was what made him so dangerous on the offensive end of the court.
Although it may not seem like much, Kawhi Leonard has tried 2,387 mid-range shots in his career. However, it should be noted that prior to 2014–15, his fourth NBA season, he was not very offensively inclined. With 1,085 of those shots made, Leonard has a lifetime percentage of 45.4% on mid-range attempts. Although this only makes up 17.6% of his career points total, it’s important to keep in mind that Leonard is practically unstoppable when he has a head of steam.
13. Jerry West
“The Mark” With his exceptional skill set, Jerry West performed far earlier than he was intended to. In addition to being an all-time great guard in terms of passing and defence, West stood out from the crowd thanks to his prolific scoring. In the 1960s and 1970s, West was the only guard who could score like that, aside from Oscar Robertson. His ability to do all of this without a three-point line, which meant that the majority of his shots could be classified as mid-range, added to the feat’s impressiveness.
We should all consider ourselves fortunate that West did not have the luxury of a three-point line throughout his career, as he possessed one of the most exquisite shooting strokes in NBA history, according to those who were present to witness him play. It doesn’t matter if West made his own shot off the dribble or released it quickly in catch-and-shoot situations—he was likely going to knock it down and make opponents pay for not getting a hand in his face. That is the beautiful thing about his jumper and his 47.4% career shooting percentage.
Although many may criticise Jerry West for his dismal Finals performance, it’s important to keep in mind that throughout his career, he averaged 27.0 points per game, primarily on jump shots. Throughout his career, he shot over 48.0% from the field five times and averaged 31.0 points per game or more three times. I’m not sure what further proof there is of his exceptional shooting talent if that.
These are the 13 All-Time Greatest NBA Mid-Range Shooters. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
