Dallas Mavericks: Top Five Fadeaway Shooters in NBA History

The NBA has had a lot of special players throughout the years, but only a few have perfected the fadeaway jump shot. Has anyone ever done it better than Dirk Nowitzki?

The NBA is full of great shooters and each one has their own unique style. Although a lot of players have similar shots and have copied moves from other players, the unique style of each player is one of the things that makes the game of basketball so exciting. Even when comparing something like the best fadeaway shot, it isn’t always clear which one is better.

This list is definitely a little bit biased and could easily be disputed, but I will try to explain my criteria before we get into it.

First, there is the reliability of the shot. This one is based on my personal rankings of how frequently these players can turn to this shot and be successful with it. This is the most important criteria of all.

Second, is the dependence on the shot. This one is important because a lot of players have good fadeaway shots, but only some took the time to center their game around that particular shot. This isn’t as important as the shots reliability, but if you only see the shot once or twice a game then it really shouldn’t be considered as one of the best.

Third, is the iconic criteria. This one is not as important but it definitely plays a part. Each one of these players has a fadeaway shot that will be remembered, but only a couple have one that is synonymous with their name.

The tiebreaker is the uniqueness of the shot. In other words, if one player has a similar fadeaway to another player on this list, the originator has to take the cake.

That is everything I based the decision off of. Hopefully my list isn’t too far from most (outside of ESPN employees).

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5. LeBron James

The King has a lot of things going for him, which is no surprise to anyone who owns a television, phone, or computer. He has really put his fadeaway shot on full display throughout these playoffs and has proven that it can be lethal. His shooting percentage proves to be impressive and his fadeaway as an actual shot is just incredibly difficult to perform. He is on this list for a reason.

4. Kobe Bryant

Kobe was known as one of the best scorers in the game and his fadeaway shot was his go-to move without a doubt. Although he did not really rely on it like others on this list, the shot became a nightly occurrence and one of those shots that was nearly impossible to stop. And if he was on for the night, you can take the “nearly” out of that.

3. Michael Jordan

What can you say about a guy like MJ other than that he just did everything well in the game of basketball. His game was so well-rounded that it’s easy to forget that he shot an incredible fadeaway. He is third on this list simply because some of the most iconic shots in NBA playoff history were Jordan faders.

2. Hakeem Olajuwon

The Dream Shake is one of the most incredible moves in NBA history. If you take a man as big as Olajuwon and give him the lateral agility that he had, you have a guy that can make you pay so quickly that you might miss it. Big men that can shoot the fadeaway have such an advantage, but the act of falling away was only half the beauty of Olajuwon. That footwork is something that has never been replicated by a man of his stature.

1. Dirk Nowitzki

Few players have a particular style of shot that will always be synonymous with their name. You have the Kareem Adbul-Jabbar skyhook, Big Shot Rob, Hakeem Olajuwon’s Dream Shake, and Dirk’s one-legged fade. Aside from those guys, there are very few players in NBA history that are remembered by one particular move that worked for them their entire career.

Dirk has the most trustworthy and reliable fadeaway shot in NBA history and people are going to realize that more and more, especially after Dirk retires. Too many people have overlooked this man’s career and it is a shame. For now, just enjoy these highlights.

You can easily make an argument for MJ or Hakeem or maybe even Kobe, but I truly believe that Dirk Nowitzki has the best fadeaway shot in NBA history. I may be biased, but it really is one of the best, most iconic shots in the history of the NBA.