Why the Mid-Range Jumper is Making a Surprise NBA Comeback
📚What You Will Learn
- Top mid-range leaders and their stats in 2025-26.
- Why mid-range beats heavy 3-point reliance.
- Role of analytics in reviving the shot.
- How stars like Curry and Jokić incorporate it.
📝Summary
ℹ️Quick Facts
- Michael Porter Jr. leads NBA with 345 mid-range shots made this season.
- DeMar DeRozan has sunk 337 mid-rangers, showcasing veteran mastery.
- Tyler Herro hit 85th+ percentile in short mid-range efficiency.
💡Key Takeaways
- Mid-range shots offer high efficiency for skilled shooters like Porter Jr. (61.8% eFG).
- Stars like Dončić and Booker rely on mid-range to counter defensive schemes.
- Improved mid-range play boosts overall shotmaking, as seen with Herro.
- It's a strategic shift from 3-point spam, aiding playoff success.
- Veterans like DeRozan prove mid-range endures in analytics era.
The NBA's three-point era buried the mid-range jumper, but 2025-26 stats scream revival. Michael Porter Jr. tops with 345 makes, followed by Troy Murphy III and Devin Booker at 345 and 344. This surge defies analytics purists favoring 3s and layups.
Defenses packing the paint force pull-ups. Luka Dončić (33.6 PPG) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander weaponize it, hitting at 60%+ eFG rates. It's no fluke—volume leaders average 16-18 FGA from mid-range.
DeMar DeRozan (337 makes) embodies the old-school art, blending fadeaways with 50.8% FG. Nikola Jokić adds 339, pairing 43.5% mid-range with elite passing (71.3 eFG).
Stephen Curry, 3-point king, logs 341 mid-rangers at 63.6 eFG—proof even volume bombers need it. Tyler Herro's short mid-range leap to 85th+ percentile transformed his game.
ShotQuality and bball-index data highlight elite efficiency: Herro's 96th percentile overall shotmaking stems from mid-range gains. Short mid-range rivals rim rates for skilled players.
ESPN stats show high-volume mid-rangers like Porter (33.1 MPG, 61.8 eFG) thriving. It's unguardable in playoffs, where help defense clogs 3-point lines.
Rule changes and spacing emphasize versatile scoring. Mid-range creates gravity, opening cuts and 3s. Young stars like Anthony Edwards (29.4 PPG) mix it seamlessly.
Coaches adapt: less 'live by the 3, die by the 3.' Balanced attacks win chips, reviving mid-range as a core weapon.
Expect mid-range to grow, especially playoffs. Rookies studying DeRozan footage signal cultural shift.
Analytics evolve—tools like ShotQuality quantify its edge. The jumper's back, more efficient than ever.
⚠️Things to Note
- Data from early 2026 shows top mid-range volume from wings/forwards.
- Short mid-range is elite for risers like Herro (96th percentile shotmaking).
- Mid-range complements rim and 3-point attacks effectively.
- Not all players succeed; efficiency varies by skill and volume.