5 NBA players who dominated the league in the last 10 years despite being bad shooters

NBA players can learn to dominate despite being poor shooters
NBA players can learn to dominate despite being poor shooters

#3 Draymond Green

dDraymond Green is one of the key players for the Golden State Warriors
dDraymond Green is one of the key players for the Golden State Warriors

Draymond Green is a great example of a player who dominated the league despite being a bad shooter. However, Green stands apart from the other players on this list.

Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2012, Draymond Green is an intense and vocal presence on the floor. His greatest asset is his sense of the game. Green is an elite defender who is always in the running for defensive player of the year, having won the award in 2017.

On the offensive end, Green is an efficient finisher when close to the basket. Shooting 65.1% when within 0-3ft, Green knows how to finish. However, as we move out of this range, his number drop to 30.3% in the 3-10ft range and 31.6% from three-point land.

But Green isn't dominant because of his scoring ability. With talented players such as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on his team and also briefly served by offensive juggernaut Kevin Durant, Green never had to score.

Instead, he dominated by facilitating the offense and making the necessary plays to get things going. In the process of doing so, Draymond Green has emerged as a three-time NBA Champion.


#4 Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard played the 2020-21 season with the Philadelphia 76ers
Dwight Howard played the 2020-21 season with the Philadelphia 76ers

Dwight Howard played for the Orlando Magic for a large part of his career. During that time he established himself as one of the most dominant centers in the NBA.

Making use of his athleticism and strength, Howard would bully most defenders in the low post and score on them at will. That trait transitioned over to the defensive end as well.

Being an elite shot blocker and rim protector, Howard was a two-time NBA Blocks leader and three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He was also a five-time NBA Rebounding champion.

His numbers from anywhere outside the 0-3ft area are well below average, shooting an abysmal 15.9% from beyond the arc. But his role as a player doesn't require him to play in those areas. In the 0-3ft range, Howard shoots a highly efficient 71.8%.

Over the course of his career, Howard has added many moves to his offensive bag which allowed him to stay dominant in the low post. Dwight Howard also recorded the most dunks in NBA history with 2,910.


#5 Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin was one of the most skilled big men in his prime
Blake Griffin was one of the most skilled big men in his prime

Blake Griffin, in his prime, was one of the most athletic big men in the league. With his leaping ability, Griffin would routinely put defenders on highlight reels with monster poster dunks.

Griffin was a very gifted offensive player. He had tremendous quickness and vertical jump for someone who was so top heavy. His size also gave him the additional advantage of strength, which helped when it came to playing the low post and rebounding.

However, his shooting from distance was less than impressive. Shooting 37.6% from midrange and 33.4% from beyond the arc, Blake Griffin compensated for his shooting with other skills which helped him be a dominant player in the league.

Griffin expanded his offensive skillset as his career progressed. With additional ball handling skills and playmaking abilities in his bag, Griffin became one of the most skilled big men in the league.

Griffin also added a fairly reliable shot from downtown when he was with the LA Clippers. Unfortunately, a number of injuries would cause issues when it came to establishing rhythm on his shot.

For his career, Blake Griffin shot 52.1% from the field while being 71.4% from 0-3ft.

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