Game on the line with seconds to go in a nail biter. What was once the obvious elbow shot, pick and roll, or attack on the rim is now a deep three.
The past few weeks have presented many questionable three point attempts, and on Jan. 13 in tie game with over five seconds on the clock, Trae Young shocked fans by attempting a logo three for the win, where his miss was luckily saved by John Collins under the rim.
Dave Hopla, one of the greatest shooting coaches of all time has seen the recent domination of the three point shot first hand and finds it incomparable to his early days in the NBA.
“With the Knicks we set an NBA record for most threes made in a season in the history of the game. And now I’m not even sure if that’s in the top 100 anymore,” Hopla said.
Hopla is a former assistant and shooting coach for the Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks and Washington Wizards. He took the Knicks from 21st in three point percentage to breaking an NBA record in one season. He also helped the Wizards achieve their best free throw percentage in franchise history.
He currently holds regular shooting camps and professional sessions with NBA, WNBA, and college players. In the summer of 2007 he attended 31 camps where he knocked down 11,093 out of 11,183 shots (99.19 per cent).
Dave Hopla seated next to Michael Jordan at a Jordan event. Hopla has coached the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Ray Allen, Zion Williamson, and many more. Photo credit: Dave Hopla
Although he may be a shot guru, Hopla is not overly impressed with the current shot selections in the NBA.
“I don’t know what I’m watching anymore. You see seven footers get a rebound and they throw it back out for a guy to shoot a three, while they’re two feet from the basket,” Hopla said.
Hopla says we’re seeing more three pointers due to the vast improvement of skill level in the NBA, but he also blames the lack of defence and often sparse coaching.
“Basketball IQ is out the window.”
With the discussion of the three point era reignited, future Hall of Famer Stephen Curry remains the pinnacle of the debate as one of the most influential players in NBA history.
Hopla understands the greatness of Curry, and acknowledges the fact that without him, today’s game may not be so three point reliant.
But he also believes that the constant attempt of replicating his play style has flawed the game in many cases.
“There’s only one Steph Curry, that’s the problem. Everyone thinks they’re Steph Curry,” Hopla said.
Toronto Sun’s NBA reporter Mike Ganter has been covering the NBA for 17 years, and he also pointed toward Curry’s heavy influence on the game.
“That’s what Steph did, he took the 23 foot shot and moved it out to 29 and 35. He extended the three point shot,” Ganter said.
The deep range three belonged as a staple to Curry’s game, but it has since become a common shot selection by players such as Trae Young, Damian Lillard, and Luka Doncic.
Luka Doncic shoots a jumper over the Cleveland Cavaliers' Dean Wade. Doncic has continued to impress from three point range and remains an MVP contender this season. Photo credit: Erik Drost
15 years ago a shot from the logo would likely only occur with the shot clock at the end of its duration, and it would succeed at a notably low percentage.
Today’s NBA players let fly from way beyond the arc without hesitation at a commonly decent percentage, and Ganter says this all goes down to them consistently practising those shots all year-round.
“Every coach will tell you, as long as you practice that shot I have no problem with you taking it in the game,” Ganter said.
Ganter believes that ultimately the three point era of the NBA all goes down to the elite athletes today that develop this skill set at an early age.
He said that once NBA coaches gained players on their roster capable of making these shots, the mid range game was bound to take a hit considering the extra points available.
“It sounds stupid, but it’s just realizing and understanding that three is better than two and if you can find the personnel who can make those three point shots, then you’re going to be ahead of the game,” Ganter said.
If there’s anything NBA fans learned from the Golden State dynasty, it’s that a team with multiple three point shooters is nothing but trouble to their opposition.
Ganter also noted that as long as player development continues to improve, then the three point era won’t fade into the past.
“I don’t see a change, and I certainly don’t see it going back. If anything, I see it going the other way, more extreme,” Ganter said.