Not something Cal is known for (and an obsession on this board), UK has still had some very talented shooters over the last decade and some change (Cal’s 13th season!!?? — wow it’s been a ride). This list will consider more than just ranking players by top 3pt% (anyone could do that).
First place is absolutely an argument between 3, maybe even 4 guys…
1. Doron Lamb- Being the most consistent shooter of the bunch, doing it for 2 seasons, and being the leader scorer in the game to secure our 8th National Championship?? There was more than enough to put Doron Lamb head, and maybe even shoulders above the rest.
2. This one is close for me but I’m going with Malik Monk (I actually changed my mind as I was about to type a different name). It’s so close, but his clutch performances and scoring outbursts just edged him into 2nd for me. I was going to go a different direction and point to Monk being less consistent, but really once he got in his groove he became a very consistent scorer and the biggest threat in opposing game plans.
3. Jamal Murray- slightly better shooting percentage than Monk and actually made 9 more threes. Efficiency says give the edge to Murray, but situationally we saw two different players. Murray had many clutch performances, but he was not the absolute cold blooded killer that Monk was.
4. Like I said, this player could even be in consideration for number 1 by some. Brandon Knight. Probably an even more pure shooter than Monk and Murray. A look back at his stats were actually mildly surprising, he was much less efficient from the field than I remembered. I knew his percentages were lower, but I didn’t expect that Knight had made fewer 3s than both Monk and Murray. However, Knight was a consistent threat from 3 and his mid range pull-up game was elite. He was a clutch shooter too, and his mid range game winning jumper over Aaron Craft and Ohio State is to this day one of my fondest Kentucky basketball memories.
5. Immanuel Quickley- His shooting efficiency in his second season is the only one that comes close to Doron Lamb. He was very quiet his first season, but showed flashes of what was to come and actually put together a solid shooting performance on a small sample size. Watching him breakout in his second season and become better and better each and every game was really cool. A deadly, pure shooter.
6. Darius Miller- Miller has the most made 3s on this list. An impressive stat in a distinguished era. Miller had the ability to shoot from anywhere on the floor, and could often take advantage of defensive matchups due to his size and ability to put the ball on the floor. Miller played on 3 incredible teams and was mostly an X-Factor type of player, but a guy you could plug into any team or any lineup and make them instantly better, and his shooting is a big part of that.
7. Aaron Harrison. His clutch performances in the NCAA Tournament mandate that Harrison is included on this list. At first I almost omitted him because of his inconsistency and lack of efficiency, but Aaron Harrison is one of the most clutch shooters in the history of NCAA basketball. He truly wasn’t the pure shooter he was billed to be, but the ability to get your team a bucket can’t go unrecognized.
8. Devin Booker. Always imagined what he could’ve done with a 2nd season at UK. Probably would’ve averaged 25ppg. He is CLEARLY the purest of any shooter Cal has had at UK (and probably ever). Booker gets dropped mostly because of results, and we all know he didn’t truly get to show all he had while he was at Kentucky. He also did not display much of the clutch shooting that the 4 players above him displayed. This isn’t meant to be a slight on Book, as you have to consider he didn’t really have the same clutch opportunities the shooters above him had.
9. Tyler Herro. Not always the most efficient shooter, but he was always a threat and had great shooting stroke. The way he could get to his spots in the mid range and 3pt line, both with the ball and working to get open to catch and shoot, he had an advanced skill set and consistently executed. An extremely confident shooter, his hair trigger ability really worked defenses and made everyone around him better.
10. Derek Willis. Willis had 2 years where he demonstrated his shooting prowess, and was one of the better shooters percentage wise in the Cal era. Definitely more of a spot up shooter than any of the players above him, but his ability to execute those chances put him on this list.
Honorable mentions: Tyler Ulis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kyle Wiltjer, James Young, Keldon Johnson, Davion Mintz
First place is absolutely an argument between 3, maybe even 4 guys…
1. Doron Lamb- Being the most consistent shooter of the bunch, doing it for 2 seasons, and being the leader scorer in the game to secure our 8th National Championship?? There was more than enough to put Doron Lamb head, and maybe even shoulders above the rest.
2. This one is close for me but I’m going with Malik Monk (I actually changed my mind as I was about to type a different name). It’s so close, but his clutch performances and scoring outbursts just edged him into 2nd for me. I was going to go a different direction and point to Monk being less consistent, but really once he got in his groove he became a very consistent scorer and the biggest threat in opposing game plans.
3. Jamal Murray- slightly better shooting percentage than Monk and actually made 9 more threes. Efficiency says give the edge to Murray, but situationally we saw two different players. Murray had many clutch performances, but he was not the absolute cold blooded killer that Monk was.
4. Like I said, this player could even be in consideration for number 1 by some. Brandon Knight. Probably an even more pure shooter than Monk and Murray. A look back at his stats were actually mildly surprising, he was much less efficient from the field than I remembered. I knew his percentages were lower, but I didn’t expect that Knight had made fewer 3s than both Monk and Murray. However, Knight was a consistent threat from 3 and his mid range pull-up game was elite. He was a clutch shooter too, and his mid range game winning jumper over Aaron Craft and Ohio State is to this day one of my fondest Kentucky basketball memories.
5. Immanuel Quickley- His shooting efficiency in his second season is the only one that comes close to Doron Lamb. He was very quiet his first season, but showed flashes of what was to come and actually put together a solid shooting performance on a small sample size. Watching him breakout in his second season and become better and better each and every game was really cool. A deadly, pure shooter.
6. Darius Miller- Miller has the most made 3s on this list. An impressive stat in a distinguished era. Miller had the ability to shoot from anywhere on the floor, and could often take advantage of defensive matchups due to his size and ability to put the ball on the floor. Miller played on 3 incredible teams and was mostly an X-Factor type of player, but a guy you could plug into any team or any lineup and make them instantly better, and his shooting is a big part of that.
7. Aaron Harrison. His clutch performances in the NCAA Tournament mandate that Harrison is included on this list. At first I almost omitted him because of his inconsistency and lack of efficiency, but Aaron Harrison is one of the most clutch shooters in the history of NCAA basketball. He truly wasn’t the pure shooter he was billed to be, but the ability to get your team a bucket can’t go unrecognized.
8. Devin Booker. Always imagined what he could’ve done with a 2nd season at UK. Probably would’ve averaged 25ppg. He is CLEARLY the purest of any shooter Cal has had at UK (and probably ever). Booker gets dropped mostly because of results, and we all know he didn’t truly get to show all he had while he was at Kentucky. He also did not display much of the clutch shooting that the 4 players above him displayed. This isn’t meant to be a slight on Book, as you have to consider he didn’t really have the same clutch opportunities the shooters above him had.
9. Tyler Herro. Not always the most efficient shooter, but he was always a threat and had great shooting stroke. The way he could get to his spots in the mid range and 3pt line, both with the ball and working to get open to catch and shoot, he had an advanced skill set and consistently executed. An extremely confident shooter, his hair trigger ability really worked defenses and made everyone around him better.
10. Derek Willis. Willis had 2 years where he demonstrated his shooting prowess, and was one of the better shooters percentage wise in the Cal era. Definitely more of a spot up shooter than any of the players above him, but his ability to execute those chances put him on this list.
Honorable mentions: Tyler Ulis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kyle Wiltjer, James Young, Keldon Johnson, Davion Mintz
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