Virginia's Joe Harris leads well-traveled group
Perhaps traveling a long way is an asset toward becoming a top shooter in college basketball.
That’s the trend for the year, it seems.
Senior Joe Harris arrived at Virginia from Chelan, Wash., to become a 41-percent shooter in his career with the Cavaliers. And Marshall Henderson, provided he plays this season, remains a well-traveled 3-point threat after moving from a Texas high school to Utah to Ole Miss.
Others have a Canadian flair. Four of the top 10 shooters on our list come from our neighbors from the North. Nik Stauskas (Michigan), Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga) and Brady Heslip (Baylor) all come from Ontario while Olivier Hanlan (Boston College) is from Quebec.
Our list of the nation’s best shooters is the first in a series of superlatives to prepare you for the 2013-14 season. Each list and more can be found in the the Athlon Sports College Basketball 2013-14 Preseason Annual . The magazine hits newsstands this week with previews for every team in every conference, plus exclusive Q&As with Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart, Louisville’s Russ Smith and UCLA’s Kyle Anderson.
Previous: Floor Leaders | Next: Scorers
| 2013-14 Superlatives: Top Shooters | ||
| 1 |  | Joe Harris, Virginia 6-6/226, Sr. Before tailing off at the end of the season, Harris was shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from 3-point range. With extra help this season, that Cavaliers won’t need him to take a dozen shots a game. |
| 2 |  | Marshall Henderson, Ole Miss 6-2/175, Sr. The combustable Henderson attempted more 3-pointers than five teams and 34 more than any other player. Henderson wasn’t particularly efficient (35 percent), but his shooting helped transform the Rebels’ season. Can he do it again? |
| 3 |  | Nik Stauskas, Michigan 6-6/205, So. Like many 3-point shooters, Stauskas heated up and cooled down through the season, but when he was on, he was dangerous. In the Elite Eight against Florida, Stauskas went 6-of-6 from beyond the arc. The Canadian shot 44 percent from 3 during his freshman season. |
| 4 |  | Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga 6-2/182, Jr. Pangos (and fellow backcourt mate Gary Bell Jr.) will need to adjust to playing on a team where the offense doesn’t flow through big man Kelly Olynyk. Pangos has been remarkably consistent from 3-point range, averaging 40.8 percent from long range in two seasons. |
| 5 |  | Gary Harris, Michigan State 6-4/205, So. A projected NBA lottery pick, Harris surprised many when he elected to return to school. He shot 41.1 percent from long range, but he should become a more complete guard as sophomore after shoulder troubles limited last season. |
| 6 |  | Olivier Hanlan, Boston College 6-4/184, So. The ACC Freshman of the Year is a perfect fit in what Steve Donahue wants to accomplish at Boston College. He’ll have plenty of momentum heading into the season by going 14 of 18 from the field and 8 of 10 from 3-point range in the ACC Tournament. |
| 7 |  | Luke Hancock, Louisville 6-6/200, Sr. The hero of the Cardinals’ national championship run, Hancock made 15 of 26 3-pointers in the final eight games. If not for a slow start last season, he easily would have been a 40-percent 3-point shooter for the season. |
| 8 |  | Jabari Brown, Missouri 6-5/214, Jr. Brown became eligible in December after his transfer from Oregon last season to contribute 13.7 points per game a 36.6-percent shooting from 3-point range. |
| 9 |  | Anthony Drmic, Boise State 6-6/196, Jr. Drmic helped to lead the Broncos’ prolific backcourt along with Derrick Marks. Drmic can penetrate, but he also made 80 of 204 3-pointers on the way to a team-leading 17.7 points per game. |
| 10 |  | Brady Heslip, Baylor 6-2/180, Sr. Heslip transferred from Boston College but will be one of the best 3-point shooters in Baylor history. Heslip is a 42.1-percent career shooter on more than 200 attempts each season at Baylor. |
OTHER SHOOTER SUPERLATIVES
Breakout to watch: Kellen Dunham, Butler
Mid-major star: Travis Bader, Oakland
Transfer to watch: Coron Williams, Wake Forest (from Robert Morris)
NCAA Tourney hero: Ron Baker, Wichita State
Seventh-year senior: Ben Brust, Wisconsin
