DeMar DeRozan hasn’t had the pleasure of playing with a lot of great shooters during his time with the Toronto Raptors. His list of choices is so shallow that offseason acquisition C.J. Miles — a career 36 percent three-point shooter — is in the discussion for the best shooter he’s ever played with.
According to The Athletic’s Eric Koreen, though, DeRozan has another answer to the question of who the best shooter he’s ever had the honor of playing with: Peja Stojakovic.
Is CJ the best shooter you’ve ever played with.
DeMar: “Peja Stojakovic.”
Me: Yeah, for two games.”
DeMar: “Briefly. It’s the truth, though"— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) October 17, 2017
DeRozan played with Stojakovic for all of two games during the 2010-11 season. Peja was waived by the Raptors midseason but quickly signed with the Dallas Mavericks with whom he won the NBA championship.
Even if it was only for two games, it’s hard to argue with DeRozan for picking Peja. A two-time three-point shootout champion, Stojakovic was a career 40 percent three-point shooter and 89 percent free-throw shooter.
Stojakovic was one of the most feared marksmen in the league during his prime. Over a five-year stretch with the Sacramento Kings, he averaged 21 points on 51 percent shooting from the field and 41 percent on three-pointers.
Stojakovic obviously wasn’t quite the same player by the time he reached Toronto at age 33. But he and his shooting apparently made enough of an impression on a young DeRozan in the brief time they crossed paths.
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