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There a few more captivating sights in basketball than an offensive player taking on his defender and beating him with skill, pace, power, or flair
The NBA has elite players – including eye-catching diminutive point guards, that have mastered the art of the step back. The move has had such a sweeping impact in the league and has changed the façade of the game over the years.
With the evolution of the league, the new era diverted from the famous fadeaway to the highlight reel that is the step back. Smaller players finally found a way to beat high-pressure defenses without necessarily having to take low percentage shots.
We hereby pay homage to the top 5 elite players who have perfected the art of the step back.
#5 Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
When good shooters have tricks to create space up their sleeves, they are almost impossible to guard. They may not use it as often, but when they do, it’s unrivaled and is always among the top plays of the day.
Damian Lillard's stepback jumper is so effortless.
He relies a whole lot more on the jab-step and his stutter-step hesitation move than actual step backs to create separation. These combinations keep his defenders on their toes without knowing what will hit them next.
If Lillard employs his nasty stepback a little more, there’s no arguing that he might just sit at the top of this list
#4 Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry has turned the improbable step-back into the routine. Whether a defender is on him or not, he might just hit a step back jumper. It has become an essential part of his game that we tend to forget what a thing of beauty it is when executed by him.
Combine his range and the advantage gained from the step-back and we have the best shooter in NBA history. Curry led the field with 33 step back jumpers attempted in last postseason. This shows how he can’t live without it, especially when going against bigger defenders keen to block his shot attempts.
His trickery and elite ball handling skills make up for what he lacks in athleticism. His mastery of the step back is just too much for his defenders (Al Farouq Aminu knows best). That’s Steph’s best means of survival in any tough game situation
#3 Kyrie Irving, Boston Celtics
Kyrie Irving earned his right to be the franchise player in Boston when he decided against playing in LeBron James’ shadow in Cleveland. He is arguably the best isolation player in the league right now. His dazzling displays of electric dribble moves as he gets to the basket with trickery render him unstoppable.
It’s easy to forget his ability to shoot from distance since he has a high tendency to attack the basket. In the 2016 NBA Finals, he made one of the most famous step-back 3s in NBA history that sealed the win over the Golden State Warriors. He is no stranger to the step back and is always ready to use it effectively. He has the element of surprise and one can never anticipate his next move. He remains the best ball handler in the league.
#2 Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets
He’s not called Cardiac Kemba for nothing.
He combines speed, hesitation moves, crossovers and a nasty step-back to drop his defenders almost always. His step back is a very potent weapon that leaves him with more options while also creating distance between him and the defender. His nasty step back jumper that gave UCONN the NCAA win in the Big East quarterfinals in 2011 pretty much made Kemba realize he could do anything and win it all.
His ball-handling wizardry is so underrated, and he takes advantage of it to break his defenders’ ankles while incorporating his filthy step back. He always has the option to create plays with his excellent vision or the time to take a high percentage shot off the dribble.
His step back is so nasty, he could win a long jump competition if they were done backwards. His highlight reels often go unnoticed because of playing in a small market with less televised games.
#1 James Harden, Houston Rockets
James Harden continues to leave his defenders glued to the ground with his unstoppable step back. The fact that there’s a never-ending argument whether it’s a travel or not tells its story. Top that off with the perfect jumper in his arsenal, and you have yourself a scoring anomaly.
It might be less dazzling compared to Kemba’s, but it’s way more effective-he gets more points off step-back jumpers than any other player. He does it with ease and a little trickery that allows him to shake off defenders that are too eager to reach. He has the versatility to do it off a pass or off the dribble. He has ultimately earned this spot on this list.
With his ankle breaking ability, ability to knock down contested shots, ability to draw fouls and drive in the lane, Harden has become an offensive freak show whenever he has the ball in his hands.
Guess the Lakers players!
