Three-point shooting has taken over the game over the past decade or so in the NBA. Teams all across the league are firing up as many three-point shots as they can, and it has quickly become one of the most important skills for players in the game of basketball.
The rise in three-point shooting has led to a decline in mid-range shooting, as teams generally want to avoid difficult-long-range two-point shots. If you ask Andre Iguodala , though, he believes that shot could be making a comeback.
Iggy thinks we will be seeing a lot more mid-range
Iguodala played in the NBA from 2004 to 2023, so he saw the rise of three-point shooting in the league firsthand, especially during his time with the Golden State Warriors. But when he entered the league, mid-range shooting was a major way teams scored points.
As teams began taking more threes, they strayed away from mid-range shots, which became less valuable than three-point shots. However, Dre noted that several big-name players have begun incorporating mid-range shots into their offensive portfolio again.
"It's coming back," Iguodala said on Point Forward. "You talk about Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander), he'll put you on a block as well, (Anthony Edwards), he'll put you on a block as well. It's coming back. (Jayson Tatum), obviously, his block work. Luka (Doncic), obviously, his block work. I really feel like it's gonna come back, that mid-range is gonna come back."
"The mid-range is really gonna come back when you got a center that's dominant on the post. (Nikola) Jokic is a dominant center, but he can play, the way he passes the ball, he throws you in a trick bag. It's on the way, you gonna take the best shot. The elbow shot is what's gonna come back, that's gonna come back first, the elbow show," he added.
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Are mid-range shots on the rise again?
With the NBA becoming a three-point league, it hasn't been shocking to see mid-range shots nearly vanish. If you are inside the arc, you want a shot that is as easy as possible. But if you need a tougher shot, you may as well take it from behind the arc, where it's worth one more point.
That logic makes a lot of sense, but some players, such as the ones Iggy noted, can hit mid-range shots at a high clip. Slowly but surely, they realize that this ability can become a weapon on the offensive end of the floor.
If you have the ability to hit these shots or advantageous matchups, it makes sense to target these shots over a more difficult three-point shot. Iguodala believes some players are recognizing that, and he expects the shot to become increasingly popular in future seasons.
As teams focus their defensive effort more and more on the three-point line, having a mid-range shot in your bag could quickly become extremely valuable. This is an interesting observation from Andre, and it will be worth watching to see if this trend continues next season.
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