NBA worst 3-point shooters right now: who is struggling

Russell Westbrook will walk into the Hall of Fame on the strength of a career that rattled defenses, rewrote rebounding expectations for shorter guards, and delivered highlight-worthy athleticism night after night. Yet when the mantelpiece trophies are dusted and the marquee is dimmed, one glaring statistic will follow him to Springfield: his three-point shooting.

That’s not to diminish a legendary career — Westbrook’s tangibles are undeniable — but the contrast between his physical dominance and long-range ineptitude is one of the NBA’s strangest dualities. For many modern players, the inability to shoot from deep is a career killer; for Westbrook, it’s simply the flaw he managed to outgrow on reputation alone.

Why Westbrook’s 3-point struggles will be part of his Hall of Fame legacy

Westbrook’s résumé reads like a case study in elite playmaking, relentless defense, and unmatched energy. He piled up more than 26,000 points, earned nine All-Star selections, and redefined what a 6-foot-4 guard could do on the glass. Still, when you isolate his shooting from distance, a different picture emerges.

Across his career, Westbrook’s accuracy from beyond the arc ranks near the bottom among players who’ve taken a significant number of attempts. He’s missed well over three thousand long-range shots in the regular season — a figure that nudged him past Carmelo Anthony on the all-time misses list — and his career percentage sits around the low 30s. Among elite scorers and Hall of Famers who still struggled from deep, he’ll likely hold the dubious title of the least-efficient long-range shooter to make the Hall.

That’s not a knock on his overall greatness — it’s a statistical oddity. Players like Kobe Bryant or Dirk Nowitzki had poor stretches from three relative to specialists, but they still shot a noticeably higher clip than Westbrook’s career mark. In short: his box-score brilliance masks an alarming volume of missed threes.

The cost of a limited outside shot: how missing long-range accuracy changes careers

Basketball’s modern evolution has turned the 3-point line into a separator. Teams ask wings and guards to stretch the floor; players who cannot do that consistently face strategic limits on court time and role. A handful of athletes have built careers despite poor shooting by compensating in other ways, but most who can’t develop reliable range find their upside capped.

Ben Simmons offers a contemporary cautionary tale. A generational defender and elite ball-handler, Simmons barely attempted long-range shots in his career — he has made only five 3-pointers in NBA play and launched far fewer threes than peers who were arguably less talented overall. Simmons’ on-court hesitation culminated in a public moment that crystallized the problem: in the postseason he effectively admitted his lack of shooting was a defensive gift to opponents.

“YOU DON’T HAVE TO GUARD ME. I CAN’T SHOOT.” That frank admission, whether literal or paraphrased from the fallout around that series, underlines what happens when a player’s range is a known weakness: opponents adapt, coaches constrain roles, and opportunity disappears.

Which current players are still stuck in “can’t shoot” mode—and why it matters

Below are several current NBA players who are athletically gifted and impactful in areas other than long-range shooting. Each of them demonstrates how athleticism and skill in other facets can only take you so far without reliable perimeter accuracy.

• Dyson Daniels — high energy, inconsistent from deep

  Daniels earned recognition for his defensive hustle and rapid improvement, including an upturn in 3-point percentage during a breakout season. Still, early in the following campaign he’s alternated between dunks and cold spells from distance, turning his shooting into an offensive liability at times rather than a complementary strength.

• Ja Morant — star playmaker fighting “Westbrook disease”

  Morant is one of the league’s most dynamic scorers and an elite point-of-attack defender, but his long-range consistency has fluctuated. After a promising start to his career from beyond the arc, his percentage has dipped below the 30% threshold as his attempts increased — a dangerous trend for a ball-dominant guard who needs outside respect to keep defenses honest.

• Jaime Jaquez Jr. — role player with a college reputation that didn’t translate

  At UCLA, Jaquez was touted as a do-it-all wing, but scouts flagged his subpar 3-point numbers coming into the draft. In the NBA he’s impressed in other areas and earned All-Rookie attention, yet his perimeter shooting remains an issue that limits his floor-spacing impact.

• Peyton Watson — elite physical tools, limited shooting output

  Watson brings length, athleticism, and rim-finishing ability to the court; he rebounds and defends well. However, his 3-point accuracy has stayed low, reducing his effectiveness as a modern stretch forward and inviting defensive strategies that shrink his role.

• Amen Thompson — explosive playmaker, still developing range

  Amen and his twin Ausar arrived with national attention for their athletic upside. Ausar’s shooting has shown clear progress year-over-year, but Amen has lagged behind — an issue that could limit how coaches deploy his playmaking gifts if distance accuracy doesn’t follow.

When improvement is visible — and when it’s still missing

Shooting mechanics and confidence can improve with coaching and repetition; we’ve seen several young wings make steady gains from season to season. Ausar Thompson is an example of that progression, improving his long-range numbers enough to change how he’s defended. In contrast, players who either don’t adjust their form or fail to commit reps from beyond the arc remain strategically predictable and easier to game-plan against.

• Why improving matters: even marginal jumps in 3-point percentage can transform a player’s offensive value and defensive attention.
• What stalls progress: inconsistent practice habits, poor shooting mechanics, or team roles that deprioritize perimeter development.

Honorable mentions — other notable players who still struggle with 3s

• Ausar Thompson — progressing but not finished
• Cam Johnson — streaky but sometimes inconsistent
• Kyle Kuzma — floor-spacing ups and downs
• Gary Payton II — defense-first profile with limited range
• Jalen Green — upside tempered by long-range variance

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John Davis

John Davis is a sports journalist focused on the NBA, NFL, and major global championships. With seven years of live coverage, he breaks down performances and key strategies. His expertise gives you a clear view of every game and its impact.