NBA Power Rankings: Chris Paul and the 10 Best Floaters in the League
There are a lot of people who love basketball, and they love the dunks—the three pointers and the ankle breaking crossovers. There is one shot that I don't think gets enough love though. It's a shot that not everyone can do because it's extremely difficult, always comes in a lot of traffic and the touch on this particular shot has to be ever so sweet.
I'm talking about the floater (or as some refer to it, the teardrop runner).
This is one of the most gorgeous shots in all of the NBA. Sure, it's fun to watch Blake Griffin throw down on just about everyone—I enjoy it too and I'm not knocking it—but the floater is so masterful to watch and absolutely gorgeous when shot from the right set of hands.
Special Mention: Juan Carlos Navarro
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Navarro may have the sweetest floater in all the world. It looks effortless and sometimes it appears just out of thin air.
The only reason he doesn't make the top 10 is because he is no longer in the NBA.
His contract was actually rescinded by the Grizzlies so they could sign Allen Iverson.
How's that one working out now Memphis?
10. Brandon Jennings
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Jennings has missed quite a few games this year, but we can't take him off the list. He's got a little work to do on the floater, but it's the best young one in the game. Can't wait for him to get back from injury so we can see that floater back in action.
9. Luke Ridnour
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Okay don't laugh.
Still waiting for it to die down.
We good? Okay.
Luke Ridnour (when he was in Seattle) was the one that actually opened my eyes to this shot. He really had it going during the Sonics last playoff run in 2005, and it was just about automatic.
Sure he's a role player in Minnesota now, but I've seen him bust it out every now and again this year.
Ridnour is very underrated in my book. Watch him when he gets consistent playing time.
8. Rudy Gay
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Rudy Gay is going to be the only forward who is going to make this list. He plays fast and plays like a guard—he's constantly in the lane and either dunking, laying it in or hitting that soft floater. He's very tricky to deal with when he gets by the defender.
His floater is very sweet though and on the occasion that he does bless us with its presence, it's a total thing of beauty.
7. Joe Johnson
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Here is another guy who doesn't really get enough love for his floater. The touch he has on every one of his shots is fantastic, and his floater is no exception.
Most people think of Johnson as an outside shooter, but that's exactly what he wants you to think. He's almost impossible to stop once he gets within 15 feet of the basket.
It's just too bad no one in Atlanta comes out to see him play.
6. Raymond Felton
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He has had a career resurgence since he's gotten to New York.
Felton has had the Larry Brown handcuffs removed, and he is now free to slash and play in the paint as much as he wants. The floater that was so hard to stop at North Carolina has now come back out to play, and it's a thing of beauty.
While he was at UNC, I always hated when Felton got near the paint. Oh, how many floaters he hit over Maryland guards...it killed me.
Flashbacks...moving on!
5. Brandon Roy
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It's a little sad that we may not see this floater again this year. It really isn't all that pretty, but it is so deadly.
The thing I love most about his floater though is how it never seems to be coming, but then the ball is arching over three defenders and finding nothing but the bottom of the net.
4. Stephen Curry
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This is another effortless floater, and I am pretty sure he had this ability the minute he came out of the womb. It's such a soft shot that even when it draws rim it's going to drop through, but most of the time it's just the bottom of the net.
I'd say it would be hard to top his floater, but we have three more places to go.
3. Derrick Rose
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Derrick Rose is an MVP candidate and the best young point guard in the game. A few people will say that Russell Westbrook is, but there are three things that Rose has that Westbrook doesn't:
1. Leadership
2. Jumper
3. Floater
Derrick Rose is so dynamic when he gets into the lane; he can pull up, get all the way to the rim or just float it over defenders into the basket.
Difference between Rose and Westbrook on the floater front is Rose actually floats the ball, where as Westbrook's is an ugly, two-handed shotput-type shot.
Thinking about it, I don't even think you can call it a floater.
2. Tony Parker
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Tony Parker is probably the most dangerous man in all of basketball in the paint. You don't know what he's going to do at any given time, and sometimes I don't think he knows what he's doing until he actually does it. The man has the best in-the-paint instincts for a guard I've seen in a very, very long time.
His floater is pure poetry too. I honestly wish he could shoot that shot 15-20 times a game.
I'd be in heaven.
1. Chris Paul
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It was an extremely tough decision to put Paul here at the No. 1 spot, but the man does it more often and seems to have more success than any other player in the NBA with this shot.
Again, this is another shot of pure, poetic perfection.
It was such a tossup between Paul and Parker for this spot, but after watching Paul destroy Parker with the floater on a few occasions this past Saturday night, Paul got the edge.
