RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesOver the last decade, the jumper has revolutionized the NBA. You're seeing teams across the league prioritize it over other shot attempts. The nerds — I say that endearingly — have infested front offices everywhere. Teams have realized that being below efficient from the outside is better than just trucking your way to the rim in hopes of a fancy finish or foul call.
With the jumper now a necessity to succeed in the basketball world, the Bleacher Report staff drummed up the 99 best shooters in NBA history. In it, the Oklahoma City Thunder had six representatives. Keep in mind, we're not including the Seattle Supersonics' lore for simplicity's sake.
Let's look at the six players who suited up for OKC at one point that are being considered as one of the greatest 99 shooters ever:
No. 76: Kevin Martin
What B/R said: "An all-timer we'll get to way down the list wears the crown in this category, but Kevin Martin is one of the greatest 'funky delivery' shooters we've ever seen (and a testament to the fact that repetition is sometimes more important than flawless mechanics).
"Martin's jumper started much lower than most. It started a little off to the side too. But after he slung that thing across his body and to its release point, it was one of the most dangerous weapons in the NBA."
No. 35: Carmelo Anthony
What B/R said: "Carmelo Anthony had similar struggles to LeBron at the start of his career, at least when it came to three-point shooting. But he always commanded respect from the mid-range and long mid-range. And by the time he left the Denver Nuggets , he'd mostly gotten that three-ball calibrated too...
"The No. 1 options on this list (like Anthony) deserve a little extra credit for the difficulty inherent to that role, and it looks like the voters were happy to give it here."
No. 31: Paul George
What B/R said: "George, at his peak, had a way of gliding past defenders and into his desired spot, elevating and then drilling jumpers.
"And while that certainly included two-point shots, those aren't why he climbed all the way to this spot. George being ninth all-time in career threes made feels like a wildly underdiscussed accomplishment."
No. 22: Chris Paul
What B/R said: "Chris Paul was one of the great mid-range scorers of all time, and he used his jump shooting ability to great effect for setting up his playmaking.
"Once CP3 snaked inside the three-point line — or worse yet, inside the paint — defenders didn't dare sag off him for a second. Otherwise, he'd drill the mid-range pull-up. And that respect he commanded often left his teammates wide open in some other part of the floor."
No. 20: James Harden
What B/R said: "One of the very best isolation scorers of all time, James Harden popularized a shot few dared to try before him and just about everyone had to add after: the stepback three.
"Harden was (and is) a master of manipulating individual defenders out of the pick-and-roll. And if ever he's given a little cushion on the perimeter, he's quickly able to gather himself for a jumper, while flying backward. The move has been a huge part of his shot diet for well over a decade. And again, it's now almost a requirement for guards and wings coming into the league."
No. 4: Kevin Durant
What B/R said: "During the course of his career, Durant trails only DeMar DeRozan (who converted on a comfortably lower percentage) in twos made from three feet and out. And he's also averaged 2.0 threes while shooting 39.2 percent from deep and 88.2 percent from the free-throw line.
"Even if you don't consider dunks and layups, the 6'11" Durant may be the single best example of a three-level scorer we've ever seen."
TOP 99 SHOOTERS EVER 🎯🚨 99) Desmond Bane 50) Dell Cury 36) LeBron 34) Seth Curry 25) MJ 5) Klay 4) KD 1) Do we need to say it? FULL RANKINGS HERE: https://t.co/WP74UD0XX0 pic.twitter.com/kb6zCmCF1b
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 22, 2026 This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: BR's 99 best shooters in NBA history: How many played for OKC Thunder?
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