Playing alongside Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and LeBron James has helped raise Deandre Ayton’s shooting stats.
Player development is a huge part of success in the NBA. The best teams are often those that thrive at making their players better. Additionally, that season-to-season improvement can change the trajectory for seasons and careers.
Shooting can come and go, and we’re still less than halfway through the season, so numbers will surely change over the next three months. Here’s a look at the players who have seen the biggest jumps (and drops) in different categories of shooting …
All stats are through Wednesday, Jan. 7.
1. Effective field goal percentage
Effective field goal percentage takes the value of 3-pointers into account: eFG% = (FGM + (0.5 * 3PM)) / FGA
Biggest jump, effective FG%, 2024-25 to 2025-26
2024-25
2025-26
Diff.
Player
FGA
FG%
eFG%
FGA
FG%
eFG%
eFG%
Deandre Ayton
468
56.6%
57.3%
299
68.9%
68.9%
+11.6%
Reed Sheppard
239
35.1%
45.2%
363
44.9%
56.6%
+11.4%
Keldon Johnson
770
48.2%
53.8%
329
57.4%
64.3%
+10.5%
Miles McBride
547
40.6%
51.1%
248
45.2%
60.9%
+9.8%
Max Christie
590
42.7%
52.5%
303
48.2%
62%
+9.6%
Isaiah Collier
555
42.2%
45.9%
162
51.2%
54.9%
+9%
Alex Sarr
828
39.4%
45.7%
377
50.4%
54.4%
+8.7%
Kyshawn George
546
37.2%
47.6%
315
46.7%
56.2%
+8.6%
Wendell Carter Jr.
491
46%
49.8%
313
51.4%
58.3%
+8.5%
Day’Ron Sharpe
317
52.1%
53.8%
156
60.3%
62.2%
+8.4%
Minimum 150 FGA in each of the last two seasons (224 players).
The other end of the list…
Biggest drop, effective FG%, 2024-25 to 2025-26
2024-25
2025-26
Diff.
Player
FGA
FG%
eFG%
FGA
FG%
eFG%
eFG%
Keon Ellis
464
48.9%
63.9%
179
38.5%
50.6%
-13.3%
Jared McCain
274
46%
55.3%
186
34.4%
42.2%
-13.1%
Brandon Williams
188
52.1%
58.5%
317
43.2%
45.9%
-12.6%
Aaron Nesmith
379
50.7%
61.7%
214
37.9%
49.3%
-12.4%
Jarace Walker
360
47.2%
57.6%
304
36.5%
45.4%
-12.2%
Jay Huff
305
51.5%
64.8%
243
43.2%
53.5%
-11.3%
Jarrett Allen
640
70.6%
70.6%
240
59.6%
59.8%
-10.8%
Brook Lopez
774
50.9%
59.9%
178
36.5%
49.4%
-10.4%
Nikola Jović
377
45.6%
56%
199
38.7%
46.5%
-9.5%
Sam Hauser
474
45.1%
62.7%
243
37.4%
54.1%
-8.5%
Minimum 150 FGA in each of the last two seasons (224 players).
League average: 54.4%
League leader (minimum 150 FGA): Rudy Gobert (72%)
Biggest team jump: Charlotte, from 50.3% (30th) last season to 54.2% (17th) this season.
Three quick notes:
- Deandre Ayton has benefited from playing with a trio of playmakers. He’s been assisted on 83% of his field goals (the highest rate of his career), with Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and LeBron James accounting for 121 (71%) of those assists.
- We should see a lot of second-year players near the top of this list, but it’s great for the Wizards for Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George to both be in the top 10.
- It’s amazing that the Celtics have the league’s second-ranked offense, with three guys – Sam Hauser (-8.5%, ninth biggest drop), Derrick White (-8.4%, 11th) and Payton Pritchard (-8.2%, 12th) – having seen significant drops in effective field goal percentage. Jaylen Brown has seen a big jump in efficiency with a huge jump in usage rate, and the team has also seen a big jump in offensive rebounding percentage.
2. Paint shooting
Dillon Brooks’ production in the paint is up in 2025-26, while his 3-point shooting is down a tick.
Here are the players who have finished better (and worse) in the paint…
Biggest jump, FG% in the paint, 2024-25 to 2025-26
2024-25
2025-26
Diff.
Player
FGM
FGA
FG%
FGM
FGA
FG%
FG%
Quinten Post
45
87
51.7%
52
79
65.8%
+14.1%
Day’Ron Sharpe
146
259
56.4%
88
130
67.7%
+11.3%
Dillon Brooks
146
313
46.6%
118
204
57.8%
+11.2%
Jose Alvarado
84
191
44%
44
80
55%
+11%
Jerami Grant
86
223
38.6%
83
168
49.4%
+10.8%
Chet Holmgren
115
198
58.1%
165
240
68.8%
+10.7%
Alex Sarr
194
414
46.9%
149
259
57.5%
+10.7%
Noah Clowney
45
105
42.9%
58
109
53.2%
+10.4%
Jordan Clarkson
98
213
46%
78
139
56.1%
+10.1%
Draymond Green
125
241
51.9%
50
82
61%
+9.1%
Minimum 75 paint FGA in each of the last two seasons (209 players).
The other end of the list …
Biggest drop, FG% in the paint, 2024-25 to 2025-26
2024-25
2025-26
Diff.
Player
FGM
FGA
FG%
FGM
FGA
FG%
FG%
Aaron Nesmith
93
151
61.6%
28
75
37.3%
-24.3%
Jarace Walker
82
146
56.2%
49
123
39.8%
-16.3%
Derrick White
136
213
63.8%
74
153
48.4%
-15.5%
Patrick Williams
96
201
47.8%
30
90
33.3%
-14.4%
Jared McCain
66
123
53.7%
32
77
41.6%
-12.1%
Malik Monk
236
420
56.2%
53
119
44.5%
-11.7%
Jarrett Allen
441
615
71.7%
133
217
61.3%
-10.4%
Cason Wallace
151
258
58.5%
53
108
49.1%
-9.5%
Cameron Johnson
163
260
62.7%
47
88
53.4%
-9.3%
Ronald Holland II
153
245
62.4%
79
148
53.4%
-9.1%
Minimum 75 paint FGA in each of the last two seasons (209 players).
League average: 57.4%
League leader (minimum 75 FGA): Ryan Kalkbrenner (80.7%)
Biggest team jump: Brooklyn, from 52.9% (29th) last season to 57.7% (11th) this season.
Three quick notes:
- Chet Holmgren shot 65% in the paint as a rookie, but saw a big drop last season. Now, he’s at 68.8%, a mark that ranks fourth among 78 players with at least 200 attempts in the paint. He’s also taken a career-high 61% of his shots in the paint.
- Pacers Aaron Nesmith and Jarace Walker are both near the bottom of the effective field goal percentage list above, and that’s largely about their finishing in the paint.
3. 3-point shooting
Tari Eason’s 56% on corner 3-pointers is one of the top marks in the NBA this season.
Here are the players who have shot better (and worse) from beyond the arc…
Biggest jump, 3-point %, 2024-25 to 2025-26
2024-25
2025-26
Diff.
Player
3PM
3PA
3P%
3PM
3PA
3P%
3P%
Wendell Carter Jr.
37
158
23.4%
43
119
36.1%
+12.7%
Tari Eason
63
184
34.2%
44
94
46.8%
+12.6%
Kel’el Ware
35
111
31.5%
46
107
43%
+11.5%
Ayo Dosunmu
62
189
32.8%
56
127
44.1%
+11.3%
Bobby Portis
65
178
36.5%
71
150
47.3%
+10.8%
Keldon Johnson
87
274
31.8%
45
107
42.1%
+10.3%
Max Christie
115
314
36.6%
84
185
45.4%
+8.8%
Kyshawn George
114
354
32.2%
60
147
40.8%
+8.6%
Bub Carrington
138
407
33.9%
71
167
42.5%
+8.6%
Miles McBride
115
312
36.9%
78
172
45.3%
+8.5%
Minimum 75 3PA in each of the last two seasons (192 players).
The other end of the list…
Biggest drop, 3-point %, 2024-25 to 2025-26
2024-25
2025-26
Diff.
Player
3PM
3PA
3P%
3PM
3PA
3P%
3P%
Tyus Jones
166
401
41.4%
26
85
30.6%
-10.8%
Jaylin Williams
61
153
39.9%
30
102
29.4%
-10.5%
Ja Morant
88
285
30.9%
16
77
20.8%
-10.1%
Jay Huff
81
200
40.5%
50
164
30.5%
-10%
Brice Sensabaugh
157
372
42.2%
52
161
32.3%
-9.9%
Jake LaRavia
60
142
42.3%
40
121
33.1%
-9.2%
De’Andre Hunter
157
388
40.5%
59
188
31.4%
-9.1%
Lonzo Ball
67
195
34.4%
32
121
26.4%
-7.9%
Luguentz Dort
170
413
41.2%
55
165
33.3%
-7.8%
Keon Ellis
139
321
43.3%
43
121
35.5%
-7.8%
Minimum 75 3PA in each of the last two seasons (192 players).
League average: 35.9%
League leader (minimum 75 3PA): Bobby Portis (47.3%)
Biggest team jump: Charlotte, from 33.9% (28th) last season to 37.1% (sixth) this season.
Three quick notes:
- Wendell Carter Jr. saw improvement from 3-point range every season he was in the league before dropping from 37.4% in 2023-24 to a brutal 23.4% last season. So this season’s improvement is really just a return to form.
- Tari Eason shot just 34.5% on four attempts per 36 minutes over his first three seasons in the league, but is at 46.8% on seven attempts per 36 this season. His 56% from the corners is the best mark among 56 players with at least 50 attempts.
- Bub Carrington would be near the bottom of the paint-shooting list if he had one more field goal attempt inside. He’s 23-for-74 (31.1%) in the paint, down from 47.5% last season. But he’s negated those struggles with big improvement from beyond the arc.
4. Pull-up shooting
Blazers standout Deni Avdija has seen his effective FG% on pull-up shots drop 13.6% this season.
Here are the players who have shot more (and less) effectively off the dribble…
Biggest jump, pull-up effective FG%, 2024-25 to 2025-26
2024-25
2025-26
Diff.
Player
FGA
FG%
eFG%
FGA
FG%
eFG%
eFG%
Tim Hardaway Jr.
182
34.6%
42%
102
52%
65.7%
+23.7%
Reed Sheppard
81
28.4%
34.6%
142
41.5%
50%
+15.4%
Jrue Holiday
157
31.8%
40.4%
82
41.5%
54.9%
+14.4%
Nikola Jokić
142
31.7%
38.7%
80
46.3%
53.1%
+14.4%
Miles McBride
217
38.7%
46.3%
90
44.4%
57.8%
+11.5%
Bobby Portis
135
40.7%
42.6%
92
51.1%
53.8%
+11.2%
Jaylen Brown
407
35.9%
42%
373
46.1%
52.3%
+10.3%
Bennedict Mathurin
285
31.6%
39.6%
122
39.3%
49.6%
+9.9%
Kyshawn George
122
27%
36.9%
126
38.9%
46%
+9.1%
CJ McCollum
444
37.8%
46.6%
264
45.8%
55.7%
+9.1%
Minimum 75 pull-up FGA in each of the last two seasons (98 players).
The other end of the list…
Biggest drop, pull-up effective FG%, 2024-25 to 2025-26
2024-25
2025-26
Diff.
Player
FGA
FG%
eFG%
FGA
FG%
eFG%
eFG%
Jarace Walker
106
42.5%
53.8%
88
31.8%
38.6%
-15.1%
Collin Sexton
297
41.1%
50.2%
95
29.5%
35.3%
-14.9%
Paolo Banchero
433
38.1%
44.5%
141
28.4%
30.1%
-14.3%
Deni Avdija
111
44.1%
57.2%
140
35.7%
43.6%
-13.6%
Gary Trent Jr.
223
42.6%
52.5%
84
32.1%
39.3%
-13.2%
Jordan Poole
450
37.1%
51.9%
93
29%
39.2%
-12.6%
Jaren Jackson Jr.
223
48%
51.8%
97
39.2%
41.2%
-10.6%
Quentin Grimes
283
38.2%
48.8%
87
27.6%
38.5%
-10.3%
Desmond Bane
377
40.8%
52.4%
191
34.6%
42.7%
-9.7%
Jalen Williams
469
43.5%
47.2%
99
36.4%
37.9%
-9.3%
Minimum 75 pull-up FGA in each of the last two seasons (98 players).
League average: 46.1%
League leader (minimum 75 FGA): Tim Hardaway Jr. (65.7%)
Biggest team jump: Denver, from 45.7% (16th) last season to 52% (second) this season.
Two quick notes:
- Teaming up with Nikola Jokić should help your shooting, but Tim Hardaway Jr. hasn’t shot much better off the catch than he did last season. Instead, he’s an incredible 28-for-54 (51.9%) on pull-up 3-pointers. Add improvement from Jokić himself and Jamal Murray (less of a jump, but on almost twice as many shots as Hardaway and Jokić combined), and the Nuggets have the No. 1 offense in the league.
- Paulo Banchero banked in a pull-up 3 to beat the Nets at the buzzer on Wednesday, but he’s otherwise had a pretty rough year shooting off the dribble. The Magic still rank as the league’s second-most-improved offensive team, but they’d be in even better shape if their star didn’t have the sixth-lowest effective field goal percentage (49%) among 129 players with at least 300 field goal attempts.
* * *
John Schuhmann has covered the NBA for more than 20 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Bluesky.
