Orlando Magic Shooting Month: Top 20 shooters in Orlando Magic history
Top 20 Shooters in Orlando Magic History
3. J.J. Redick
By Caleb Hager
I mean come on, J.J. Redick is one of the best shooters to ever touch a basketball and was number one on my personal list. He is 16th all-time in three-pointers made and has one of the purest jumpers in basketball history.
The Duke standout played six and a half seasons for the Orlando Magic and is someone who could not be left open on the perimeter. He may not have been able to showcase his full shooting potential with the team, but he never shot worse than 37.4-percent from deep in Orlando. He is 18th all-time in three-point percentage and the only reason he is not number one on this list is because a large chunk of his shooting success came after his time with the team.
He was an integral part of Orlando’s 2009 NBA Finals run, stepping in for an injured Courtney Lee in the team’s second-round series against the Boston Celtics. He led the team in 3-point percentage in the playoffs and finals as a 24-year-old.
After that run, his place in the Magic’s rotation and within the league was set.
Another indicator of how good a shooter’s career can be is based off their free throw shooting. Redick posted the third highest career free throw percentage in Orlando Magic history.
Redick only missed one free throw in the entire 2009 playoff run coming in clutch on multiple occasions. He showed flashes of being an all-time great shooter by dropping 15 points on five threes in a closeout game six in Philadelphia during round one.
Despite never starting more than 22 games during a season in a Magic uniform, Redick still ranks 10th overall in three-pointers made for the team.
Redick would have thrived in today’s three-point dominant league and proved that toward the prime of his career. He was never the best defender or even all-around player, but he gave me some of the best basketball memories from my childhood.
As soon as he touched the ball around the arc, I knew it was going in. This legend and master of the game was ahead of his time, he is one of the best commentators on the sport that there is today. He has a great understanding of the game and a jump shot that should be framed and hung up for players to learn from.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUZe8VgS_0Q
Reddick’s ability to move without the ball and come off of screens to get open shots was astounding, it was his bread and butter. Some of the best shooters ever like Klay Thompson seem to have modeled their game after him. Moving without the ball and finding the open spot for the kick really helps spread out a team more than some may notice.
Redick is obviously one of the best shooters in Orlando Magic history and deserves a spot atop this distinguished list.