DeMar DeRozan and Paul George did not become mid-range assassins overnight. The two studied a number of players before perfecting a shot that's been overshadowed by the three-point revolution in today's NBA. Recently, the two All-Stars shared their lists of the top five best midrange shooters ever.
"Point guard, I'ma go with CP. You gotta go with Mike; Jordan. I'ma put Kob, and I'ma leave me out; I don't want to put myself in there. I'll go with Kawhi, and I'ma go with LaMarcus Aldridge," DeRozan said during his appearance on Podcast P.
"That's solid," PG responded before listing his own five.
"At my point, I'ma go Andre Miller - he was tough, I mean back down; he was amazing. I got the same; I'ma go with Kob and MJ just because they kinda took that mid-range game to a whole new level. I gotta put Deebo in there. I'ma go with Big Fundamental; I'ma go TD," George added.
PG's top five is intriguing as it features Andre Miller, an underrated point guard known for beating up his opponents in the post. It's not a surprise, however, that DeRozan and PG both included MJ and Kobe on their lists, as the two are pioneers of the midrange game.
DeRozan was humble enough not to include himself in his top 5. But we all know that the Compton native is easily one of the best mid-range shooters today. Some even say that his footwork mirrors that of Kobe Bryant.
Due to Stephen Curry's rise to superstardom, some analysts claim that the mid-range game is dead. But according to Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, it's far from a lost art. In fact, he believes that there are a lot more openings just inside the 3-point arc because of the emphasis on the long shot and drives to the paint.
Perhaps kids or aspiring prospects should take Spoelstra's word and then study the mid-range games of the all-time greats. After all, the likes of MJ, Kobe, Duncan, and Kawhi have several championship rings to show for it. So despite what the analytics say, a mid-range shot is still an effective way to be dominant in the NBA.