I was watching the Golden State Warriors demolish the Spurs last night (without Steph Curry) and noticed how beautiful Klay Thompson’s jumpshot was. It made me think of some of the prettiest shooting forms in the NBA today––some of which may be a bit unexpected, because not all superstars have great jumpshots. Here are my top 10 prettiest NBA jump shots:
10. Bradley Beal (SG, Wizards)
Widely regarded as one of the best shooters in the NBA, Beal has improved his jumper significantly from the beginning of his young career. Beal gets a lot of height on his launch, which helps him get up and over the top of some of the smaller NBA guards, and it’s paid dividends––he was voted an NBA All-Star for the first time this season. He’s got a quick trigger and has helped stabilize the scoring out of the Wizards backcourt, as John Wall has had his woes shooting the ball in the past.
9. Paul George (SF, Thunder)
George has one of the slower jumpers in the game, but it’s effective. His jumper would be identified as a two-motion shot, where he raises the ball behind his head and pauses before releasing towards the basket. He’s a career 37.6% shooter on his 3-pointers and can light it up on any given night (as we saw in Game 1 of OKC vs. Minnesota). PG13 has the ideal shot for a bigger forward, and it looks smooth and effortless from start to finish.
8. Devin Booker (SG, Suns)
Booker is a very quick guard who can create a lot of space off the dribble, but he creates even more space by getting up on his jumper. Booker dropped 70 points on the Celtics last season as a 20-year-old, which just goes to show the potential of his quick and easy jump shot. Mechanically, Booker gets a ton of lift when he shoots, which gives him the ability to shoot more on a line, so it always looks like a bang-bang play when he hits off the dribble.
7. J.R. Smith (SG, Cavaliers)
J.R. Smith has one of the smoothest shots in the Association. His falling away, one-motion jumper has helped give him the nickname J.R. Swish. This is a guy who loves taking contested shots, and usually it’s the most ridiculous of his shots that find their way to the bottom of the net. He’s a career 41.2% shooter from the field, but the beauty of J.R.’s shot makes almost all statistics irrelevant.
6. LeBron James (SF, Cavaliers)
LeBron actually hasn’t had the most effective jumpshot for much of his career––he’s been, at best, a pretty average shooter from deep. However, there’s something to be said about the ease with which he shoots the ball; his two-motioned shot form is quick and his release point is high, which allows for more of an arc under his shot.
5. Kyrie Irving (PG, Celtics)
Kyrie’s jumpshot is one of the cleanest in the NBA. It’s a modified version of the Steph Curry one-motion shot, where he takes the ball from his pocket off the dribble right up his chest and overhead directly into his release. Kyrie’s handle is easily the best in the NBA, and with this he creates a ton of space and loses defenders. His fadeaway jumper is one of his nicest shots as well––something he learned from watching past elite shooting guards, no doubt.
4. James Harden (SG, Rockets)
James “The Beard” Harden has one of the most lethal stepbacks in the game, and his ridiculous handle helps create even more space. I’m not the biggest fan of lefty jumpshots, but Harden’s is bar-none the prettiest in the league. He’s got an extremely fluid one-motion jumper, and thanks to his aforementioned handle, doesn’t need to get much air when he goes up to take it. Needless to say, his shot’s working for him––he’s one of the elite scorers in the league and is the frontrunner for MVP this year.
3. Kyle Korver (SG, Hawks)
Kyle Korver is widely viewed as one of the best three-point shooters of all time, and it’s easy to see why by looking at his jumper. His usual shot consists of a gather off the dribble or pass, then his jump (which he gets a lot of lift off of), his quick gather, and then a fast release up high. His shot is easily one of the quickest in the Association, but my guess is that it won’t be for long––the NBA is changing rapidly to a 3-point league that will soon require players to adapt and get shots off quicker. Korver has just been ahead of the game his whole career.
2. Klay Thompson (SG, Warriors)
Klay Thompson is the more inconsistent half of the Splash Brothers, but when he’s on, he’s one one of the most lethal shooters in the NBA. He gets a lot of height on his jump and has an exceptionally quick release. He cocks the ball back behind his head and releases very smoothly; it’s a spectacle to see. While Klay’s scoring output may be somewhat streaky from night to night, his jump shot is certainly not––Thompson is incredibly consistent with his form. His picture-perfect jumper rarely deviates, even if he’s coming off a screen.
1. Stephen Curry (PG, Warriors)
A case could be made for Stephen Curry as the greatest pure shooter in NBA history. When he broke into the NBA, Curry broke the mold when it came to shooting mechanics, and now his style of shot is widely considered to be “flawless” (because of its effectiveness). He can shoot from just about anywhere on the court because of his wide, tilted stance and one-motion release that’s probably the most efficient in the NBA. He’s on pace to break almost every single 3-point record that he doesn’t already hold, and it doesn’t look like this half of the Splash Brothers is slowing down anytime soon.
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