Shooting has become the heartbeat of modern basketball, but the art of putting the ball through the hoop has always defined greatness. The NBA's best shooters come in all styles and sizes. This ranking highlights 15 players whose shooting touch shifted how defenses operate and how the game is played. Credit: Wikimedia Commons JJ Redick wasn't the most athletic player on the court, but he ran defenses ragged with nonstop movement. His off-the-screen jumpers made him one of the toughest guards to track. Across 15 NBA seasons, he sank over 1,950 threes while shooting 41.5% from deep. Redick also averaged 89.2% from the line, and in 2018, he posted a career-high 17.1 points per game at age 34 with the Sixers. Credit: ebay This lefty sharpshooter made his mark with a smooth release and serious midrange control. While Chris Mullin's early 3-point numbers were modest, he caught fire later by shooting over 42% from deep in his final nine seasons. Mullin also led the league in free-throw percentage in 1997–98 while hitting 93.9%. His shooting helped shape the explosive offense of the 'Run TMC' Warriors era. Credit: Wikimedia Commons "Logo Lillard" earned the nickname for good reason. He's one of the few players who defend 30 feet from the hoop. Lillard owns two of the coldest walk-off threes in playoff history: against Houston in 2014 and OKC in 2019. With over 2,500 career threes and counting, he combines ridiculous range with elite clutch shotmaking. Credit: Reddit Mark Price may not get the same attention as today's stars, but his numbers still shine. He shot 40.2% from beyond the arc, made over 90% of his free throws, and led the league in free throw percentage three times. He also won back-to-back 3-Point Contests in 1993 and 1994. Price was a master of shooting off the dribble, especially at a time when that skill wasn't common among point guards. Credit: ebay Steve Kerr's shooting résumé is short but sharp. He still holds the all-time NBA record for career 3-point percentage at 45.4%. In the 1994–95 season, he hit an insane 52.4% from deep. Most of his shots came in low-volume, high-pressure situations, and he delivered, especially in the playoffs. His 1997 title-winning jumper off Michael Jordan's assist made him one of the league's clutchest shooters. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Although he's known for his handle and layup artistry, Kyrie Irving's shooting efficiency is elite. He joined the 50-40-90 club in 2020–21 while averaging over 26 points per game. That mix of efficiency and volume is rare. Unlike most members of that exclusive club, Kyrie creates nearly all his shots off the dribble, often against the league's best defenders. His ability to hit tough pull-ups and spot-up threes keeps defenses guessing. Credit: flickr Kyle Korver turned simplicity into a weapon. He didn't need the ball in his hands for long, just a sliver of space and a clean look. By 2025, he had knocked down 2,450 threes. His 42.9% career average from deep still stands out, especially considering the volume. In 2009–10, he hit an unmatched 53.6% from three, which forced defenses to account for him on every possession. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Dirk Nowitzki stretched defenses like few big men ever have. His signature one-legged fadeaway is one of the most recognizable—and unguardable—shots in NBA history. Dirk finished his career with 31,560 points, the most ever by a foreign-born player, and he hit nearly 2,000 threes. At seven feet, he forced opposing bigs out to the perimeter and helped redefine what a power forward could be. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Steve Nash was incredibly precise and eventually came to be known for orchestrating fast-paced offenses. He hit 42.8% from deep and 90.4% from the line, and he finished at 49% overall, a number that only a few point guards have matched. He holds the record for the most 50-40-90 seasons with four. Even in pass-first mode, his shot was a built-in threat that shifted how teams defended him. Credit: Reddit Before the 3-point boom, there was Reggie Miller. He hit 2,560 threes during his career and retired as the NBA's all-time leader in that category. Defenders keyed in on him long before it was common to chase shooters off the line. Miller thrived in clutch moments and shot over 90% from the line eight times. His duels with the Knicks turned him into a legend. Credit: Wikimedia Commons At 6'10", with a lightning-quick release, Kevin Durant has made over 38% of his threes and nearly 89% of his free throws through 2025. He's also hit 56% from the field during a 50-40-90 season, the most efficient in that club's history. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Klay Thompson is the definition of a rhythm shooter. His 14 threes in one game still stand as an NBA record. In 2016, he once scored 60 points while dribbling just 11 times. His release is one of the quickest the game has seen. By 2025, he's passed 2,400 career threes while maintaining a career average of over 41% from beyond the arc. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Before Steph Curry took over the record books, Ray Allen sat at the top. With 2,973 career threes, Ray combined a textbook shooting form with elite preparation. He never shot under 35.6% from deep in any season and was the model of consistency. His most iconic shot is the game-tying three in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals, a career-defining moment and one of the coldest shots ever made. Credit: ebay Larry Bird made his mark early. He won the first three NBA 3-Point Contests and famously asked his competitors, "Who's coming in second?" He was the first player to join the 50-40-90 club and did it in consecutive seasons. Bird hit threes, floaters, and tough midrange jumpers with equal ease. Even his trash talk was accurate, like the time he scored 47 using mostly his left hand. Credit: Wikimedia Commons No one changed basketball like Stephen Curry. With over 3,700 threes by 2025 and a career average around 43%, he has more long-range makes than anyone in history, and many of them came off the dribble from 30 feet out. His 2015–16 season, where he hit 402 threes at a 45% clip, remains untouchable.