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Over roughly the past decade, the NBA has evolved into a more versatile, perimeter-oriented league, with greater emphasis on the three-point shot. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and others have made three-point such a dangerous and crucial offensive weapon, that even the mid-range shot is considered obsolete, according to analytics.
Centers have jumped into the fray with the long ball, with the likes of Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, DeMarcus Cousins, Kristaps Porzingis, Karl-Anthony Towns, and others well known for their ability to stretch the floor. Centers such as Brook Lopez, Marc Gasol, Nikola Vucevic, and Pau Gasol were primarily post players for the majority of their careers, but have expanded their games out to beyond the arc.
This preseason, the evolution of shooting big men has included a few unexpected names: Steven Adams, Boban Marjanovic, and JaVale McGee.
#1 JaVale McGee
JaVale McGee is only 2 for 27 from three-point range for his entire 12-year NBA career, including 1 for 12 last season. But he shoots the 3 in practice and stated this past offseason that the three-point shot was something he wanted to work on.
On Monday, in a game ironically against his former team, the Golden State Warriors, McGee decided to let it fly in the second quarter. After the game, McGee stated that he has always been comfortable shooting threes, as he actually shot them in college. Only in the NBA has he been discouraged from them.
#2 Steven Adams
Steven Adams is regarded as arguably the strongest player in the league, who does what a prototypical center of yesteryear does: score in the paint, rebound, block shots, set blistering screens, and prevent easy layups. Adams has expressed an aversion to shooting threes in the past, bristling at suggestions that he should start shooting them.
Adams has never hit a single three-pointer coming into this season and has only taken a total of 8 threes in his career. However, on Media Day, he stated that depending on the situation, if it is in the game plan, he would not be afraid to take a trey. In a nationally televised contest against the Dallas Mavericks last Tuesday, on the first possession of the game, Adams was open in the corner and decided to give it a try.
#3 Boban Marjanovic
Boban Marjanovic has become a fan favorite and lovable giant for each team he has played for, the latest being the Dallas Mavericks. Boban is fairly skilled for his size, with his offense and passing ability. Of course, his 7-3, 290-pound frame is hard to shoot over or move in the paint (though he can be a liability in the pick-and-roll), and his long wingspan allows him to dunk practically tip-toed.
Since last season, he started to show his three-point shot, hitting 4 out of 8 (50%) during his stint with the Philadelphia 76ers. Ironically, in the same game that Steven Adams showcased his newfound range, Marjanovic hit one as well.
