Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James wasn’t much of a shooter when he first came into the NBA in 2003.
No doubt the 6-foot-8 forward was a freak of nature and possessed all the tools to become a superstar for years to come. As perfect as James’ game is, there’s always been a slight chink in his armor — his lack of a reliable jumper.
Throughout the years, defenses have been more than willing to let him fire away from distance rather than give him an open lane to the cup.
He’s not a terrible shooter by any means and will make you pay if you leave him wide open. But shooting hasn’t always been James’ cup of tea.
Entering the 2019-20 campaign, James was a career 34.4 percent shooter from downtown and has a 73.5 percent success rate from the free-throw line.
The King gets to the line frequently due to his strength and leaping ability, but it’s quite alarming that he has never shot more than 80 percent from the charity stripe in his 17-year career.
James somehow maintains those numbers come playoff time, shooting 49.1 percent from the field, 32.3 percent from three, and 74.3 percent from the free-throw line in 239 career playoff games.
We have seen phenomenal athletes in the NBA become more reliant on shooting jumpers as they aged. For instance, Vince Carter’s ability to drain the long ball has allowed him to occupy a roster sport at 43 years old.
LeBron, now 35, has indeed made significant strides to become a more efficient shooter over the years.
The four-time league MVP actually tweaked his shooting mechanics back in 2017 due to an elbow injury. At one point, James’ elbow swelled to the size of a tennis ball, forcing him to adapt with a different shooting motion.
“I shoot it higher,” James said,“ per Dave McMenamin. “When the swelling went down I just continued to do the same motion, the same motion. My free throws, my 3s, my pullups, all that.”
At first glance, his slight tweak is not very noticeable, but it seems that he now shoots from a much higher release point than he used to. Check out this clip for reference.
Even more surprising, James decided to change his shot on his own accord and did it without the aid of a shooting coach.
“It was just me,” James added. “I'm at a point now in my career where I know if I need to make an adjustment here or there.”
Retired NBA player turned analyst Tracy McGrady once observed James’ shooting motion, claiming he shot the ball across his face and his shooting elbow went out too much.
LeBron worked on that and now has a more compact and disciplined form by keeping his elbow straight — much like all the great shooters do.
He’s still no Steph Curry or Klay Thompson by any means, but James’ hard work paid dividends and he became a more consistent shooter over time.
Let’s take a look at James’ evolution as a shooter over the years.
First stint with Cavs (2003-2010)
LeBron James didn’t have to shoot many three-pointers during his high school days with St. Vincent-St. Mary, since his phenomenal athleticism and feel for the game was enough to overwhelm his opponents.
He had a terrific rookie year in the NBA, knocking down 42 percent of his field goals, mostly from close-range shots and perimeter jumpers.
At times when the defense zeroed in on him, James struggled from past the arc and only knocked down 29 percent of his shots. He did fair well from the line, making 75 percent in his first year.
James managed to up his 3-point accuracy to around 33 percent in the succeeding years with the Cavs. His free throw marksmanship, however, dipped a bit as his trips to the line grew more frequent. James only shot 69.8 percent from the charity stripe in the 2006-07 season.
His best statistical year from the line came in 2008-09 when he drilled 78 percent of his freebies.
Big 3 era in South Beach (2010-2014)
James wasn’t expected to shoot long shots with the Miami Heat, considering his team was filled with elite snipers at the time. However, he did enjoy his best 3-point shooting year in the 2012-13 season when he made 40.6 percent of his attempts.
He also enjoyed his highest field goal percentage the season after in 2013-14, when he tallied a success rate of 56.7 percent from the field.
It’s no coincidence that the Heat won back-to-back NBA titles during that stretch.
Return to Cleveland (2015-2018)
James’ age began to show a little bit in his return to Cleveland as his shooting accuracy from across the board once again took a dive. He made only 30.9 percent of his 3-pointers in the 2015-16 season and completed just 67.4 percent of his free throws in the 2016-17 campaign.
After altering his form in his final year with the Cavs, James enjoyed a shooting resurgence, draining 36.7 percent from downtown and 73.1 percent from the line in 2017-18.
Move to LA (2018-present)
James kept his new and improved shooting form once he moved to Hollywood. However, he was stalled by injuries in his first year with the team and played a career-low 55 regular-season games last year.
Still, he continued to display improved efficiency from distance, knocking 33.9 percent of his threes. But James once again putrid from the line, making only 66.5 percent of his attempts.
LeBron was even better in his second stint with the Purple and Gold, upping his accuracy from downtown (34.9 percent) and the foul line (69.7 percent), before the league-wide suspension due to the coronavirus crisis.
This year’s MVP frontrunner will never be a catch-and-shoot type of guy and he still prefers to take his attempts while in rhythm. James has proven time and time again that he ages like fine wine and he still learns a new trick or two even as he gets older.
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