Top Snipers Emerging from the Projected 2015 NBA Draft Class
If you've got a jumper, you've got a chance.
Every NBA team could use shooters to fill out its roster. And this year, we've seen a number of them emerge into the 2015 draft conversation.
Some have been freshmen whose high-school reputations have held true behind the college three-point arc. Others are upperclassmen who've turned the corner as shooters, and in the process, they've seen their draft stocks start to rise.
These are the top snipers who could be targeted for their sweet outside touch this June. To qualify, the prospect must be shooting at least 40 percent from behind the arc.
Justin Anderson, Virginia, 6'6", SG, Senior
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There are still plenty of games to play, but I'm not sure we've seen a year-to-year jump in shooting percentage quite like Justin Anderson's.
Through 17 games, he's already made nine more threes this season on 28 fewer attempts than last. He's shooting a whopping 52.7 percent from downtown after connecting on just 29.4 percent as a junior.
"Some guys have fluky seasons where shoot it so well, but aren't great shooters (i.e. Blackshear). Wonder if that's case with Justin Anderson," ESPN's Jeff Goodman tweeted.
Though it's still early, 74 three-point attempts (39 makes) is a decent sample size to study.
Anderson worked with basketball trainer Steve Pratt over the summer, per Sports Illustrated's Brian Hamilton. “It was a lot of technical work that I’ve never seen before in my basketball career,” Anderson told Hamilton. “It was very taxing on the mind, rather than the body.”
Given his size, athleticism and defensive energy, this new-and-improved shooting stroke has put him right on the first-round map.
"He'll likely be a Top 20 pick if he keeps it up all year. Maybe even late lottery," wrote ESPN's Chad Ford.
Considering how inaccurate he's been behind the arc the past few years, Anderson will have to finish strong to hold off skeptics. But at this point, he's looking like the breakout sniper of the 2014-15 season.
Devin Booker, Kentucky, 6'6", SG, Freshman
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Devin Booker got to Kentucky with the reputation for being a shooter, but the numbers don't do that simplistic label enough justice.
Over his last eight games, Booker has nailed 20 of 29 three-pointers and is now at 50 percent from downtown on the year.
When locked in, which seems like practically every game, Booker is capable of finding an unstoppable shooting rhythm, like he did against UCLA on December 20, when he drilled five threes in just 16 minutes.
With Booker, every jumper looks the same. He rises with great straight-up-and-down balance, and at 6'6", he's got the size to release right over the defense.
The fact that he's also a high-IQ guy who rarely forces the issue only enhances his appeal as a specialist and role player at the NBA level. Teams looking for a shot-maker would be crazy not to consider Booker somewhere in the mid-to-late first round.
Kelly Oubre, Kansas, 6'7", SF, Freshman
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As a recruit coming in, one of the things that helped separate Kelly Oubre from the other top-shelf wings was his jumper.
He's got one of those effortless lefty strokes, which can go a long way for a 6'7" high-flyer like Oubre.
Since entering Kansas' rotation on December 10, he's 17-of-39 (43.5 percent) from behind the arc. On the year, he's already hit as many threes as Stanley Johnson, Arizona's star small forward and potential top-10 prospect, playing 175 fewer minutes.
When his confidence is pumping, Oubre is one of those guys who's going to let it fly without hesitating, regardless of how deep he is or how tight his defender is contesting.
There's more to his game than just shooting—Oubre has excellent scoring instincts in the open floor and off the dribble. But at this point, it's his established jumper that helps fuel some of his credibility as a big-time prospect.
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin, 7'0", C, Senior
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Though Frank Kaminsky's footwork and post game have propelled him as a scorer and prospect, he wouldn't be in the lottery conversation without the jumper.
The NBA guys love big men who can stretch the floor, and at 7'0", he's knocking down 1.2 three-pointers per game at a 40.4 percent clip.
Kaminsky nailed four triples against Nebraska on January 15, the fourth time this year he's hit at least three in a game.
He's been dangerous as a pick-and-pop target, where he can shoot right over smaller defenders forced to switch or before his man can fight through the screen.
The threat he poses from outside also causes all sorts of matchup problems for opposing big guys who have to close out hard yet respect his ability to put the ball on the floor.
Even if we learn his lack of strength and athleticism limits his NBA ceiling, Kaminsky's shooting touch should still hold value across the league.
D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State, 6'5", PG/SG, Freshman
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It's not just the accuracy—it's the volume. D'Angelo Russell, who can really catch fire, has already hit 52 threes through 19 games at a scorching 44.4 percent clip.
He shot 6-of-6 from downtown against Wright State on December 27 and 5-of-6 against Minnesota on January 6.
Russell has now hit at least three triples in seven of Ohio State's last nine games.
In total, 16 of his 52 threes have come in transition, per Hoop-Math. We've seen Russell pull up off the dribble at the point (only 58.8 percent of his threes are assisted) or spot up off the ball, where he's got a quick trigger and the confidence to knock down contested shots.
He doesn't get much elevation, but Russell is dangerously accurate. He's one of those guys defenses just can't let find a rhythm, because it's lights out when he does. Just ask Wright State and Minnesota.
Anthony Brown, Stanford, SF, 6'6", Senior
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After shooting it 45.3 percent from downtown as a junior, Anthony Brown is at 46.3 percent as a senior, only he's making 2.2 threes per game, .7 more than his 2013-14 average.
He's been lights out all season, with his signature performance coming in an overtime win against Texas on December 23, when he went 4-of-4 behind the arc and racked up 25 points.
At 6'6", Brown has good size for a wing and a textbook shooting stroke. The ball seems to rotate perfectly off his fingertips.
He's become a little more multidimensional this year as well, grabbing 7.3 rebounds and dishing out 2.9 assists, both career highs.
Not the most explosive athlete, I wouldn't bet on Brown cracking the first-round radar, but as a potential specialist, he'd seem like an ideal second-round target.
Treveon Graham, VCU, 6'6", SG, Senior
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Treveon Graham had been a long-range threat at VCU since arriving in 2011. But he was never this consistent.
After shooting it 36.6 percent from deep as a sophomore, then regressing to 33.7 percent as a junior, Graham is now hitting 45.6 percent of his threes in 2014-15, and he's making a career-high 2.4 per game.
Sometimes, it just clicks.
Graham erupted a couple of times this year, like when he dropped six threes and 34 points on Old Dominion on November 29. He also sunk five triples against Virginia on December 6, though VCU got beaten pretty badly.
Graham's most meaningful shooting performance arguably came in a win over Rhode Island on January 13, when he scored 25 points on four threes, including a go-ahead one with just over two minutes left.
Though not a first-round prospect, his physical tools and newfound shooting stroke could certainly earn him looks, whether it's in the second round or when teams are trying to fill out their training-camp rosters.
Ron Baker, Wichita State, 6'3", PG/SG, Junior
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It's tough to say whether Ron Baker will declare in 2015, but there's no uncertainty regarding the jumper. He's nailing 2.5 threes a game this year at a 41.2 percent clip.
Baker has always been a good shooter, but he's gradually improved his accuracy over the years, starting out as a 35.7 percent long-range threat as a freshman and finishing at 38 percent last season.
Except for opening night against New Mexico State, he's hit a triple in every game he's played in this year. He's actually made at least two in 14 of Wichita State's 19 outings.
Though not a natural point guard and undersized at the 2, Baker should still draw NBA interest based on his strength, passing skills, basketball IQ and, of course, one of the more convincing shooting strokes in the country.
Honorable Mention: R.J. Hunter, Georgia State, 6'5", SG, Junior
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R.J. Hunter just might be the best shooter in college under 30 percent from downtown. As the focal point of every defense he faces, Hunter has gone ice cold over the past month, though there's a strong chance scouts will overlook the slump after he sunk 100 threes last year with a target on his head.
Hunter has a beautiful release, with the ability to catch, gather, set and fire in one quick, balanced motion. He's constantly freeing himself up off screens and other forms of off-ball movement.
You get the feeling Hunter's accuracy eventually will return, while his overall effectiveness is bound to increase as a No. 4 or No. 5 option in the pros, as opposed to the No. 1 option he is at Georgia State.
At 6'5", he's got the size, along with an underrated basketball IQ as a passer. But it's that lethal perimeter-scoring ability that's going to attract NBA attention, even if the numbers don't necessarily look so hot.
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