Former NBA player Jon Barry recently shared his list of the greatest shooters in basketball history, and the names he mentioned serve as a reminder of just how much elite shooting has evolved across generations.
Speaking on Byron Scott’s Fast Break podcast, Barry began with the obvious choice.
“I’ll start with Steph. There are so many standstill shooters that were ridiculous. His dad was ridiculous too. Yeah, Dell Curry. Dell Curry. Look, I got to go with Mully. He could just flat out shoot. Kevin Durant is an unbelievable shooter. Steve Nash was an unbelievable shooter. Reggie Miller was an incredible shooter. Ray Allen was an incredible shooter. Peja Stojaković was a hell of a shooter. JJ Redick was a hell of a shooter. If you’re talking just straight form, that’s a guy I’d say, ‘Hey, watch that.’ I mean, perfection.”
Barry’s list covers multiple eras and different styles of shooting excellence.
At the top sits Stephen Curry, widely regarded as the greatest shooter in NBA history. Curry has made 4,248 three-pointers on 10,073 attempts while shooting 42.2% from beyond the arc. No player has made more threes in league history, and his ability to shoot off the dribble completely changed modern basketball.
Barry also mentioned Dell Curry, one of the league’s original sharpshooters. Dell finished his career with 1,245 made threes on 3,098 attempts while shooting 40.2% from deep.
Chris Mullin, whom Barry referred to as ‘Mully,’ was one of the deadliest shooters of the 1990s. Mullin knocked down 1,590 threes on 3,633 attempts and shot 43.1% from three-point range during his Hall of Fame career.
Kevin Durant continues to rank among the greatest shooting forwards ever. Durant has made 2,377 three-pointers on 6,070 while shooting 39.2% from deep despite carrying superstar scoring responsibilities throughout his career.
Steve Nash remains one of the most efficient shooters ever. The two-time MVP made 1,685 threes on 3,886 attempts and shot an incredible 43.0% from beyond the arc.
Reggie Miller built an entire Hall of Fame career around his shooting. He finished with 2,560 made threes on 6,486 attempts while shooting 39.5%.
Ray Allen eventually surpassed Miller as the all-time leader before Curry broke his record. Allen retired with 2,973 made three-pointers on 7,429 attempts while shooting 40.0%.
Peja Stojakovic was one of the league’s most feared snipers during the early 2000s. He made 1,760 threes on 4,392 attempts and shot 40.1%.
JJ Redick, whom Barry singled out for having nearly perfect shooting form, finished his career with 1,950 made threes on 4,757 attempts while shooting 41.5%.
Barry’s comments come shortly after he made headlines for other bold opinions on the same podcast. He recently explained why he believed Allen Iverson was scarier to guard than Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and also revealed his all-time top five NBA duos.
When it comes to shooting, though, Barry’s list is difficult to argue with. It features pioneers, specialists, MVPs, Hall of Famers, and the man who ultimately changed the game forever in Stephen Curry.
