Duncan Robinson has made an unexpected jump from fringe NBA player to one of the deadliest snipers in the game — all in the course of one season. As his Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra tells it, Robinson is darting his off-the-ball routes with Jerry Rice-like precision.

Robinson, who spent most of his 2018-19 rookie season in the G League, is attempting an excess of eight threes per game with the Heat — canning nearly 45% of them. Prior to 2019-20, only three players shot 40% or better on at least eight attempts per game: Ray Allen, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson.

A lot of it is due to his size: big enough to set screens and slithery enough to go around them to find some air space:

“He runs every route like Jerry Rice,” Spoelstra told ESPN's Zach Lowe. “You don't know which ones are live.”

Precision is a part of marksmanship. Real-life snipers not only have to undergo breathing training and master their accuracy and timing of their trigger finger but also look for the perfect vantage point to execute the perfect shot.

In a similar way, Robinson's sharpshooting is only part of what makes him a deadly shooter. His work around the screens is just as important to his success, even if he's just starting to digest it.

“I have moments where I'm like, ‘Whoa, this is happening,'” said Robinson. “Some of the numbers people show me — I have a hard time wrapping my head around it. I have learned not to expect anything, and I certainly didn't expect this.”

Robinson might not be at Jerry Rice heights, but his work ethic can carry him there eventually if he continues to work at his craft. The 6-foot-7 forward is averaging a career-best 13,3 points and making 3.7 treys per game.