Breaking down draft’s top 3-point threats
Either Scottie Barnes or Jonathan Kuminga will likely be on the board for the Thunder at No. 6, but despite their upside as high-level NBA wings, both lack a 3-point shot.
In fact, there are a number of top prospects with inconsistent jumpers, but that doesn't mean shooters can't be found later in the draft.
The Thunder has three players under contract who shot better than 40% from 3-point range last season: Kenrich Williams (44.4%), Ty Jerome (42.3%) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (41.8%).
But as a team, the Thunder ranked 29th in 3-point shooting at 33.9%. The Thunder hasn't been a top-10 3-point shooting team since 2012-13.
In the 13 seasons since moving to Oklahoma City ahead of the 2008-09 season, the Thunder ranks 26th in 3point shooting. Only the 76ers, Lakers, Grizzlies and Timberwolves have been worse over that span.
Who could turn that around? Today we'll break down the best 3-point marksmen in the 2021 NBA Draft, sorted by where the Thunder could select them with one of its six picks.
No. 6 pick
Corey Kispert Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 220 pounds
Position: Wing
Age: 22
Hometown: Edmonds, Washington
College: Gonzaga
Kispert would be a reach at No. 6, but there's a good chance he's gone by the Thunder's next pick at No. 16 (not factoring in trades). Kispert was a four
year player at Gonzaga who steadily improved from 3-point range. From his freshman to senior year, he shot 35.1%, 37.4%, 43.8% and 44% from deep. He was a consensus first-team All-American and the West Coast Conference Player of the Year last season. Kispert has the size to help on defense as well.
Davion Mitchell
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 205 pounds
Position: Guard
Age: 22
Hometown: Hinesville, Georgia
College: Baylor
The National Defensive Player of the Year can also stroke it. Mitchell shot 44.7% from 3-point range last season, helping lead Baylor to a national championship. The only question about his 3-point success is how legitimate it is. Mitchell shot 28.8% from deep as a freshman at Auburn, and he shot 32.4% in his sophomore season at Baylor. He was a career 66% free-throw shooter in college, which has raised a few red flags.
Moses Moody
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 205 pounds
Position: Wing
Age: 19
Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas
College: Arkansas
Moody is the 3-and-D type every team is after. The SEC Freshman of the Year averaged 16.8 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Razorbacks. Moody attempted 5.1 3-pointers per game, making them at a 36% clip. Moody’s 7-foot-1 wingspan rivals most centers, and that long frame should benefit him on defense. Moody is one of the youngest players in the draft, having just turned 19 two months ago. He was high school teammates with Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes at Montverde Academy.
No. 16/18 picks Jared Butler
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 195 pounds
Position: Guard
Age: 20
Hometown: Reserve, Louisiana
College: Baylor
Butler has a case to be a higher pick than Mitchell, his former Baylor teammate. Butler was a Wooden Award finalist, a first-team All-American and the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. He’s a two-way guard who can flat out shoot. Butler led the Big 12 in 3-point shooting at 41.6%. He improved his long-range efficiency in each of his three college seasons.
Chris Duarte
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds
Position: Wing
Age: 24
Hometown: Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
College: Oregon
Duarte is a knockdown shooter. He shot 42.4% from 3-point range on 5.5 attempts per game last season. The former junior college standout was named AP Pac-12 Player of the Year before leading Oregon to the Sweet 16. His only downside is his age. Duarte turned 24 in June. For context, Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is set to enter his sixth NBA season, and Ingram is three months younger than Duarte.
Tre Mann
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 190 pounds
Position: Guard
Age: 20
Hometown: The Villages, Florida
College: Florida
Mann made significant strides from his freshman to sophomore season at Florida. He started four games as a freshman, averaging 5.3 points on 27.5% 3-point shooting. As a sophomore? A full-time starter who averaged 16 points per game and shot 40.2% from 3-point range.
Miles McBride
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 200 pounds
Position: Guard
Age: 20
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
College: West Virginia McBride is better known for his defense, but don’t sleep on the shot. He shot 41.4% from 3-point range last season on 3.8 attempts per game. He also led the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover rate. McBride is undersized, but there aren’t many holes in his game.
Trey Murphy III
Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 206 pounds
Position: Forward
Age: 21
Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
College: Virginia
Murphy has drawn several comparisons to the Suns’ Cameron Johnson, another stretch forward with a smooth release. Murphy played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Rice before transferring to Virginia, where he started 20 games last season. Murphy recorded the first 50/40/90 campaign in program history — shooting 50.3% overall, 43.3% from 3-point range and 92.7% from the free throw line.
Joshua Primo
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds Position: Wing
Age: 18
Hometown: Mississauga, Canada College: Alabama
Primo is the youngest player in the draft, and was the youngest player in Division-I basketball last season. He won’t turn 19 until December 24. Despite his youth, Primo started 19 games on a good Alabama team. He averaged 8.1 points per game and shot 38% from 3-point range.
No. 34/36/55 picks Kessler Edwards
Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 215 pounds
Position: Forward
Age: 20
Hometown: Glendale, California
College: Pepperdine
Edwards is another big forward who likes to play on the perimeter. He was a three-year starter at Pepperdine, where he averaged 17.2 points per game last season. Edwards drained 39.5% of his 3-pointers on 4.1 attempts per game in his career.
Quentin Grimes
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 205 pounds
Position: Guard
Age: 21
Hometown: Houston, Texas
College: Houston
Grimes was a five-star prospect who transferred to Houston after things didn’t work out at Kansas. He flourished under Kelvin Sampson, leading the Cougars to the Final Four last season. Grimes attempted a whopping 8.3 3-pointers per game, making them at a 40.3% clip. His 3.3 3-point makes per game ranked eighth nationally.
Matthew Hurt
Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 235 pounds
Position: Forward
Age: 21
Hometown: Rochester, Minnesota
College: Duke
Hurt is an elite 3-point shooter, but he’s limited in other areas, especially defensively. But his shooting should earn him a look. He shot 42.1% from 3point range in his two seasons at Duke. Last season he averaged 18.3 points per game.
Isaiah Livers
Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 230 pounds
Position: Forward
Age: 22
Hometown: Kalamazoo, Michigan
College: Michigan
Livers shot 41.2% from 3-point range in his four years at Michigan. The Wolverines went 105-32 while Livers was there. He missed the final five games last season due to a stress fracture in his right foot.
Joe Wieskamp
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 212 pounds
Position: Wing
Age: 21
Hometown: Muscatine, Iowa
College: Iowa
Wieskamp shot 49.5% from 3-point range in Big Ten games last season. He’s a pure shooter, and it helps that he has some size. Wieskamp played three seasons at Iowa. He was a career 41.2% 3-point shooter.
Other names to consider: Mitch Ballock (Creighton), Sam Hauser (Virginia), John Petty Jr. (Alabama), Jordan Schakel (San Diego State), MaCio Teague (Baylor), M.J. Walker (Florida State), Marcus Zegarowski (Creighton)