Sophie Cunningham just named her Mount Rushmore of shooters. And there was one notable omission.
During an event with Hard Rock Bet, the Indiana Fever guard was asked to name the best shooters in basketball history. And, no, her teammate Caitlin Clark did not make the cut.
So let’s take a look at Sophie’s picks:
Steph Curry
She threw Curry’s name out there with no hesitation. And rightfully so.
Steph is widely considered the greatest shooter ever. What makes his stats stand out is that he maintains around a 42 percent to 43 percent 3-point percentage while taking a high volume of difficult, off-the-dribble shots. His free-throw percentage (currently around 91 percent) also ranks as the best in NBA history.
Curry needs no justification. Instant Mount Rushmore selection.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
Kayla McBride
“This one is like so far left, but I promise you — Kayla McBride,” Sophie said. “She’s underrated.”
I’ll go out on a limb and assume most OutKick readers have never heard this name before. But Sophie’s right. The Minnesota Lynx guard and five-time WNBA All-Star is a “pure” shooter in every sense of the word.
In the 2024 and 2025 WNBA seasons, she consistently hovered around 40 percent from deep. Her free-throw shooting is her trademark, often ranking among the league’s best.
Ray Allen
“Ray Allen — I love Ray Allen,” Sophie gushed. “Oh my God, he has my heart.”
Before Steph, Ray was the gold standard. Now a Hall of Famer, he previously held the record for most career 3-pointers made and was a 10-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion and a 40 percent career 3-point shooter across 18 seasons.
Diana Taurasi
When it comes to the best shooters in the women’s game, Taurasi is the no-brainer pick.
Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) celebrates after a three-point basket against the LA Sparks. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
The “White Mamba” is the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, and it’s not even close. With 10,646 regular-season points, she’s nearly 3,000 points ahead of the second-leading all-time scorer, Tina Charles.
Now retired, Taurasi holds the record for the most career three-pointers (1,447) and maintains a career free-throw average of around 87 percent.
She’s a six-time Olympic gold medalist also the childhood hero of one… Caitlin Clark.
So given the stiff competition, it seems fair to say that 24-year-old Clark isn’t among the four best shooters in basketball history. Yet.
We’ll check back with Sophie in a few years.
