Original basketball analysis
NBA shot-type leaders: why volume and efficiency tell different stories.
A leaderboard of made shots measures production. A shooting-percentage leaderboard measures accuracy within a defined sample. Our step-back and pull-up-three data shows why those distinctions matter.
Scope: figures below come from classified 2025-26 regular-season play-by-play records in the Above the Box Score library, retrieved on 3 October 2026. They are a dated library snapshot, not certified complete NBA season totals. They can differ from official totals or other shot classifications.
Shai leads recorded step-back makes
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has 151 recorded step-back makes in this sample, ahead of Luka Dončić's 135. Jamal Murray, Jalen Brunson and James Harden round out the first five rows.
| Rank | Player | Makes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 151 |
| 2 | Luka Dončić | 135 |
| 3 | Jamal Murray | 93 |
| 4 | Jalen Brunson | 91 |
| 5 | James Harden | 89 |
The step-back board includes both two-point and three-point attempts. It does not measure only step-back threes, and it does not measure points scored. A made two and a made three each count as one make here.
In the separate accuracy view, Gilgeous-Alexander also leads the qualified sample: 151 makes on 290 attempts, or 52.1%. That view requires at least 60 step-back attempts. The result supports a specific claim about this recorded shot category, rather than a general claim about who is the best offensive player.
Explore step-back totals, rates and efficiency.
Pull-up threes produce a different leader
Murray leads recorded pull-up-three makes with 88. Harden follows with 85; Collin Gillespie and LaMelo Ball each have 84. This category explicitly filters for three-point attempts, unlike the step-back board above.
| Rank | Player | Makes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jamal Murray | 88 |
| 2 | James Harden | 85 |
| 3 | Collin Gillespie | 84 |
| 4 | LaMelo Ball | 84 |
| 5 | Derrick White | 78 |
The two boards answer different questions. Their totals are not interchangeable measures of scoring ability. Their labels also should not be assumed to describe mutually exclusive sets of plays: this analysis does not measure overlap between the classifications.
More makes can coexist with lower accuracy
The pull-up-three accuracy view requires at least 100 attempts. Cam Spencer leads that qualified snapshot at 45.3%, while Murray shoots 40.9%.
| Player | Makes / attempts | 3P% |
|---|---|---|
| Jamal Murray | 88/215 | 40.9% |
| Cam Spencer | 62/137 | 45.3% |
Murray has 26 more makes, but also 78 more attempts. Spencer's displayed accuracy is 4.4 percentage points higher. Murray leads production in the recorded category; Spencer leads qualified accuracy. Both statements can hold at once.
That comparison does not adjust for shot difficulty, defensive attention or offensive role. It identifies a difference worth exploring in player profiles and available film; it does not establish why the difference exists.
How to use these rankings
Start with the question you want answered. For recorded production, inspect makes. For accuracy, inspect makes and attempts together. For rates, compare the per-game view and its qualification rules. Keep the season and competition fixed, and check whether the category includes twos, threes or both.
Explore pull-up-three totals and efficiency, or use the NBA stats guide to compare other categories.
Sources and reproducibility
Analysis source: Above the Box Score leaderboards API. The live endpoint can change as the library changes. The downloadable JSON snapshot preserves the top five rows in each selected view, filters, qualification thresholds and retrieval timestamp used here. Rankings retain the API's row order; tied counts do not imply a tie-break advantage.
Percentages are the API's displayed values, rounded to one decimal place. Differences in percentages use those displayed values. Read our data methodology and limitations for coverage context.