this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2023
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Can a player stick around in the league for a long time without a solid 3 point shot, in this era? (alien.top)
submitted 1 year ago by Anxious_Star_5710@alien.top to c/nba@nba.space
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Modern basketball is very different from the basketball of the 2000s, 90s, 80s, etc. With the death of the traditional big man, advent of spacing, positionless small ball, fast pace, it seems like certain types of players are being driven out of the NBA. Ben Wallace could not survive this league.

So is it still possible for someone to maintain a long career in the league without developing a reliable 3 point shot? And what would they have to specialize in to justify their value?

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[–] wrongerontheinternet@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Embiid is only okay from three (he's below league average), and Giannis is terrible from three. Those are often recognized as two of the top three players in the league. You don't exactly have to dig deep to find players without good three point shooting who have carved out long / solid / valuable careers.

[–] drmr623@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Who is out here ranking embiid 3rd? I almost always see Steph and Luka above him

[–] wrongerontheinternet@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I'm not sure Steph is still there though he was at one point... Luka is a controversial one because his box score stats don't seem to translate to point differential most of the time (though last year was easily his best year on that front). Embiid won the MVP last year, I don't think ranking him top three is that controversial. At least if we're talking regular season.

[–] penguin_torpedo@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Embiid shot 40% from 3, I think it was a season ago

[–] wrongerontheinternet@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

He never has. He had two seasons barely above average (37+%) but he's a career 33% three point shooter. That's about the league median, but not the league average (partly because average is always above median, partly because good three point shooters shoot the majority of threes).