There are three-point specialists in every group. The players who enter the league with that all-important skill and exercised it to their fullest from the very moment they stepped on the floor are easy to spot.
These are the guys that we think of when it comes to shooting. The guys that teams covet and can transform an entire offense.
As we have detailed throughout all of August, shooting is one of the most important skills and it has evolved greatly through the course of the past 33 years the Magic have played. Orlando had a big role to play in that development, and were among the early adopters of the 3-point shot as a major tool.
Every team in the NBA has always chased shooting. While there are always clear shooters, there are still players who work to improve their outside shot. The Orlando Magic have seen plenty of players become 3-point shooters and make a positive impact on their team.
Shooting is the most coveted and important skill in the modern NBA, completely transforming offenses with spacing and gravity that makes things almost impossible to defend. Shooting is so evolved these days, teams are throwing out gimmick defenses just to cover everything.
While we will continue to celebrate great shooters like Dennis Scott, J.J. Redick and Rashard Lewis — our final list of the top-20 shooters in Magic history is coming later this week! — there is another side to the shooting equation that deserves recognition.
These are the players who improved and embraced the 3-point shot later in their careers. The players who stepped their games up from beyond the arc over time are just as laudable and important in the long run.
The Magic have seen the 3-point shot transform their team. They have also seen the 3-point shot transform players on their team. And it is completely true that becoming a better 3-point shooter changes what a team can do with that player.
As we finish up our celebration of the Magic’s shooting month, we need to highlight the players who used their time with the Magic to become 3-point shooters and improve their 3-point shot. It is a chance to look at and highlight how 3-point improvement makes a player that much more valuable and helps the team improve.