Evaluating the Best Shooters in the 2026 NBA Draft Class

Checking in on who could be the three best shooters in the 2026 draft class next season.

Mar 19, 2026; Buffalo, NY, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Ryan Conwell (3) speaks at a postgame press conference after the game against the South Florida Bulls during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last NBA season, Hornets No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel set the season ablaze, shattering the rookie record for 3-pointers while also leading the entire league in triples.

The 3-point shot has dominated the league for years, though few players enter with that level of flamethrower. Interestingly, the 2026 NBA Draft is a solid shooting class, offering up plenty of players who might not match Kneuppel’s output, but will still hit the ground running from outside.

Below, we’ll evaluate three player who could lead the class in 3-point shots and makes next season:

Darryn Peterson, Jazz

Then-Kansas guard Darryn Peterson was billed as a combo guard going into the college season, but essentially played a shooting guard-like role for the Jayhawks to much success.

Across limited games and minutes, he still managed to hoist up seven triples per game, hitting on 38% with a difficult shot diet. Simply put, Peterson was one of the better shooting and shot-making prospects seen in some time, 

Additionally, he’ll also be the focal point of the Jazz moving forward, giving him plenty of opportunity moving forward. That could come with more on-ball work, but his blistering 3-point shot-making will certainly stick around.

Christian Anderson Jr., Hornets

New Hornets guard Christian Anderson Jr. was one of the most prolific shooters and makers in the entire 2026 class, doing so from various ranges.

Across time with Texas Tech, he managed to take 8.0 threes per game and hit on a blistering 42% of them. Interestingly, he self-created plenty of those looks out of the pick-and-roll. While those attempts might not be there in bulk at the NBA level, it’s still a positive to his game.

LaMelo Ball is now off to Western Conference pastures, leaving more opportunity for Anderson to bomb from deep in Charlotte.

Ryan Conwell, Heat

If you’re looking for pure 3-point shot volume, Louisville’s Ryan Conwell took the cake last season, hoisting just shy of 10 threes per game. He wasn’t quite as effective as others at just 35%, but was responsible for carrying the offensive load for his squad.

Conwell now joins the perfect situation in Miami, who recently acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo. They desperately need 3-point shooting of any kind, even if it comes from a rookie.

Conwell is likely to have better shot quality even with the pressures of the NBA, and could be on the short list for best shooters in the class in Year 1.