Listing the 3 players with the most seasons leading the NBA in field-goal percentage
Scoring with efficiency and a high field-goal percentage is definitely a unique trait for many of the greatest scorers in NBA history. However, efficient shooters do not always have the highest field-goal percentage in the league, as some players who have fewer scoring opportunities, but also with a lower degree of difficulty, will naturally have a higher field-goal percentage.
We've seen many big men leading the NBA in field-goal percentage because they are great at taking advantage of scoring chances near the basket, while dominant big men have also put up tremendously high shooting percentages while also being the first scoring option on their team's offense.
It is definitely a wide topic of discussion, but it is certain that some players have taken advantage of their physical gifts and their basketball fundamentals to become unstoppable, and their percentages speak for themselves.
Top 3 players in NBA history in terms of seasons leading the league in field-goal percentage
Currently, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert is leading the 2021-22 NBA season in field-goal percentage with a whopping 71.2%, which would rank fourth in NBA history for a single-season effort. Gobert would fall in the category of a big man who's great at finishing at the rim, but is not a brilliant scorer or will not put big point-per-game numbers.
In this article, we will give you the three players in NBA history who have the most seasons leading the league in field-goal percentage.
Without further ado, let us take a look.
#3 DeAndre Jordan - 5
DeAndre Jordan was spectacular during his best days in the NBA, and his efficiency in defense, athleticism, and great finishing around the rim and Chris Paul helped him become an All-Star and All-NBA player while routinely leading the league in field-goal percentage.
During his days with the LA Clippers, the team was known as 'Lob City', given how Chris Paul and his playmaking abilities set up easy scoring chances (mostly alley-oop dunks) for Blake Griffin and Jordan.
Jordan took advantage of that and led the league in field-goal percentage five times, ranking third on the all-time list. Moreover, he had the third-best single-season field-goal percentage in league history in the 2016-17 campaign, with a whopping 71.4%.
In his career, Jordan has made 67.3% of his field goals and averages 9.1 points per game. Among players with at least 2000 field goals made, Jordan has the best career field-goal percentage in league history, ahead of Rudy Gobert (65.2) and Clint Capela (62.3).
#2 Wilt Chamberlain - 9
Yes, another offense-driven list that has Wilt Chamberlain at the top or near the top. Chamberlain's statistics are simply one of the most unbelievable things we can check in NBA history, as most of them look far-fetched and unimaginable to match in today's game.
However, some of his marks have been surpassed by other legendary players who were dominant on offense, and this one is one of those stats. Chamberlain led the league in field-goal percentage nine times in his career, a record at the time of his retirement.
What's definitely incredible when comparing the feat to players like DeAndre Jordan and Rudy Gobert is that Chamberlain was also routinely leading the league in points, points per game and minutes, while keeping up high percentages.
Even in the final season of his career (1972-73), at age 36, Chamberlain led the NBA in field-goal percentage with a 72.7% that broke his previous record from the 1966-67 season and stood until the 2019-20 campaign.
In his career, Chamberlain made 54% of his shots, while averaging 30 points per game (second-highest for a career in league history).
#1 Shaquille O'Neal - 10
Shaquille O'Neal is in the same breath as Wilt Chamberlain in terms of physical dominance as well as unique basketball abilities which put him over the top. O'Neal was as dominant as any other player we've seen in basketball, not only due to his frame but also due to his basketball prowess.
The big man led the league in field-goal percentage 10 times in his career, the only player in double digits so far and breaking Chamberlain's long-standing record.
O'Neal won two scoring titles in his career, but was consistently efficient from the field, making 58.2% of his field goals throughout a 19-year career that included four championships and three Finals MVP awards.
Moreover, O'Neal had four seasons in which he made more than 60% of his field goals.