Ray Allen vs Stephen Curry vs Dirk Nowitzki: Who is the Best Shooter in Their Prime? NBA Stars' Stat Comparison
Since the NBA added the three-point shot in June 1979, several incredible long-distance shooters stood out throughout the years. Picking the best among the NBA stars who showcased outstanding shooting efficiency in the court would always spark debates.
Who is The Best Shooter in Their Prime?
In an ongoing online poll conducted by Hoops Hype since June, 10-time NBA All-Star and free agent Ray Allen leads the internet's choice as the best shooter in the history of the league. Two-time NBA MVP and Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry trails behind alongside with retired professional basketball players, Reggie Miller of Indiana Pacers and Larry Bird of Boston Celtics.
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Moreover, Dallas Mavericks power forward Dirk Nowitzki settles on the fifth spot. Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns), Predrag Stojakovic (Sacramento Kings), Drazen Petrovic (New Jersey Nets), Kyle Korver (Atlanta Hawks) and Klay Thompson (Warriors) are also among of the runners-up.
Is Allen The Best NBA Shooter?
Fans will always find reasons to debate one's choice for the best NBA shooter. However, according to NBC Sports national columnist Joe Posnanski, Allen is indeed the all-time best shooter in the league in terms of counting stat and he might stay in the position in the next few years.
Posnanski cited that the 41-year-old shooting guard has an outstanding record of 2,973 three-pointers and shot exactly 40 percent for his entire NBA career. He also added that Allen maintained his skills since he rose to fame with the Milwaukee Bucks at 21 years old until he achieved two championships with Miami Heat at 38 years old.
Moreover, Alan Siegel of USA Today projected that Curry will be the unbeatable best shooter in the history by the time he retires. He reasoned out that the two-time MVP is already the best three-point shooter of all time at the early stage of his NBA career.
Basketball Hall of Famer Dave Bing, who played from 1966 to 1978, shared the same opinion. He told ESPN that Curry is the best shooter in NBA's history. He explained that there were several good midrange shooters in the past but no one possessed the range that Curry has at present.
NBA Stars' True Shooting Percentage Comparison
Per Basketball-Reference, Curry accumulated a true shooting percentage (free throws and three-pointers) of .6150 in the past seven seasons. On the other hand, Allen got .5801 percent in his 18-year NBA year.
Moreover, Miller has a higher true shooting percentage than Allen, obtaining .6139 percent in his 18 seasons with the league. Bird, on the other hand, got .5645 percent in 13 seasons, while Nowitzki obtained .5799 percent in 18 years with the league.
