The sport of basketball is and always has been about which team can put the ball in the basket more often than the other. It’s far more complex than that, but the end goal is simple: outscore the opponent.
For that reason, there has rarely been a player as valuable to a team as a shooter. Everyone wants the star or the complete package, but a player who can knock down shots from anywhere on the floor is vital to a team’s success.
The question is, who’s the best to ever do it?
Some things are quantifiable in the world of sports; others are not. In rare cases, however, the unenviable task exists of blending numerical evaluation with an eye test that replaces a statistic that did not always exist.
This is one of those instances.
As difficult as it may be, the question must be answered: who is the best shooter of all-time? The 3-point field goal did not exist in the NBA until 1979-80, but players from before that time are factored in.
Where did your favorite shooter land?
Next: An Honorable Mention