Why is Steph Curry the greatest shooter of all time?

Stephen Curry is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He has revolutionized the game of basketball with his incredible shooting ability and has set numerous records throughout his career. In this article, we will delve into the analytical data that demonstrates why Steph Curry is the best shooter of all time.

Three-point shooting has become increasingly important in the modern NBA, with teams looking for players who can knock down shots from beyond the arc. Curry has not only mastered this aspect of the game, but he has completely changed the way that it is played. He has become the face of the "three-point revolution" and has set numerous records for three-point shooting.

Let's start by looking at the basic statistics. Curry has made over 3,200 three-pointers in his career, which is the most in NBA history. He has done so at an incredible rate, shooting 43.3% from beyond the arc. In addition, Curry has made at least 200 three-pointers in seven different seasons, which is also an NBA record. No other player has made more than five such seasons.

However, simply looking at these basic statistics doesn't do justice to just how dominant Curry has been as a shooter. To truly appreciate his greatness, we need to delve deeper into the data.

One metric that is often used to measure shooting efficiency is effective field goal percentage (eFG%). This takes into account the fact that three-pointers are worth more than two-pointers and gives a more accurate representation of a player's shooting ability. Curry has an eFG% of 58.6% for his career, which is the highest of any player in NBA history with at least 5,000 field goal attempts. This means that Curry's shooting is not only accurate but also incredibly efficient.

Another metric that is used to measure shooting ability is true shooting percentage (TS%). This takes into account free throws as well as field goals and is a more comprehensive measure of a player's overall scoring efficiency. Curry has a career TS% of 62.9%, which is also the highest of any player in NBA history with at least 5,000 field goal attempts. This means that Curry is not only an incredible shooter from beyond the arc, but he is also able to get to the free-throw line and convert those opportunities at a high rate.

One of the criticisms of Curry's shooting ability is that he takes a lot of difficult shots, particularly from long range. However, the data suggests that he is still incredibly accurate even when taking difficult shots. In fact, according to NBA.com's "clutch" stats, Curry has shot 49.5% on shots in the last five minutes of a game with a score differential of five points or fewer. This is the highest mark of any player with at least 100 such shots in NBA history.

Another criticism of Curry's shooting ability is that he benefits from playing in a system that emphasizes three-point shooting. However, the data suggests that this is not entirely true. According to NBA.com's player tracking data, Curry is incredibly accurate even when taking contested shots. He has shot 42.2% on three-pointers when tightly guarded (within 2-4 feet of the shooter) and 44.1% on three-pointers when open (with 4-6 feet of space from the nearest defender). This means that Curry is able to make shots regardless of the defensive pressure he faces.

Finally, it is worth noting that Curry has not only been an incredible shooter throughout his career but he has also been incredibly consistent. He has shot at least 40% from beyond the arc in every season since the 2012-13 campaign. This consistency is particularly impressive given that he takes a high volume of shots from long range.

In conclusion wether we are talking about Steph Curry’s unreachable 3 point records or his unreachable shooting percentages and consistency or his many seasons where he has been the most clutch player shooting in the 4th quarter statistically, he is undoubtedly the unanimous greatest shooter of all time.