The Top 10 Left Handed Scorers in NBA History
A nice, smooth, left-handed jump shot is one of the most visually pleasing things in the NBA. There is something so effortless about a left-hander's shooting motion that simply makes you stop and admire. There have been many left-hand dominant players to make their pass through the league, but this one is dedicated to those who stood above all the rest.
The Top 10 Left-Handed Scorers in NBA history
10 - Artis Gilmore
15,579 career points
59.9% career field goal percentage
Artis Gilmore spent 13 years in the NBA and even spent 5 seasons in the ABA before the 1976 merger of the two leagues. The left-handed Gilmore was a 6-time NBA All-Star, and while he was the star of the 1975 ABA Champion Kentucky Colonels, he never won an NBA Championship.
9 - Nate "Tiny" Archibald
16,481 career points
46.7% career field goal percentage
Nate "Tiny" Archibald earned his nickname due to his 6'1", 150-pound stature, but earned the respect of his peers through his performance on the court. Archibald was a threat to score every time his left hand touched the ball, averaging 32 points on 48.8% shooting in his breakout 1971-72 season. Archibald was a six-time NBA All-Star and was a part of the 1981 NBA Champion Boston Celtics.
8 - Chris Bosh
17,189 career points
49.4% career field goal percentage
Chris Bosh put together quite the NBA career. Most known for his time as part of the Miami Heat's "Big Three", Bosh won back-to-back NBA Championships alongside Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. Bosh was a threat from deep, but mostly did damage from the mid-range. His left-handed jump shot took him to 11 NBA All-Star games and the All-Rookie team in 2004.
7 - Lenny Wilkens
17,772 career points
43.2% career field goal percentage
Lenny Wilkens had an amazing 15-year tenure in the NBA, dating from 1960-1975. Wilkens spent time with the St. Louis Hawks, Seattle Supersonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Portland Trailblazers. The left-hander was voted an NBA All-Star nine times and won the 1971 All-Star Game MVP.
6 - Chris Mullin
17,911 career points
51% career field goal percentage
Chris Mullin was a three-point sharpshooter with a beautiful left-handed jump shot. Mullin is one of just 29 NBA players to have ever recorded a season average of 25 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. Though the lefty won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA Basketball, Mullin never won an NBA championship.
5 - Zach Randolph
18,587 career points
47.1% career field goal percentage
Zach Randolph spent an incredible 18 years in the NBA, most notable playing with the Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers. Randolph, though only spending 8 seasons in Memphis, ranks among the top of the Grizzlies' all-time scorers. Randolph was a 2-time All-Star and made his living as a tough, hard-nosed left-handed shooter.
4 - Gail Goodrich
19,181 career points
45.6% career field goal percentage
Gail Goodrich is one of the most accomplished basketball players to have ever walked the earth. His speed and agility mixed with a pretty left-hand shot made him a huge weapon on one of the greatest teams of all time, the 1972 NBA Champion LA Lakers. Here are some of the awards Goodrich earned from his time with the UCLA Bruins to a great career in the NBA:
College (UCLA) - 2X NCAA National Champion, NCAA Player Of Year (1965), NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee
NBA (Lakers, Suns, Jazz) - NBA Champion (1972), 5X NBA All-Star, #25 Retired by Lakers, 1996 NBA Hall of Fame Inductee
3 - Bob Lanier
19,248 career points
51.4% career field goal percentage
Bob Lanier, while an all-time great scorer, was also known for something outside of the court: the biggest feet in NBA history. Lanier's size 22 shoes had to be specially made for him by a company called Allen Edmonds. Lanier stood 6'11", weighed just over 250 pounds, and his physical play-style let defenders know he outsized them. Lanier was named to 8 All-Star teams and was the 1974 All-Star Game MVP.
2 - David "The Admiral" Robinson
20,790 career points
51.8% career field goal percentage
David Robinson earned his nickname "The Admiral" because of his decision to serve his country in the Navy before starting his basketball career. At 7'1", Robinson dominated the NBA as a center for the San Antonio Spurs, being named to 10 All-Star teams and winning two NBA Titles (1999, 2003). Robinson had an incredible 13-year career, and would likely still hold the left-hander's scoring title if he hadn't enlisted in the Navy, but then "The Admiral" wouldn't be "The Admiral".
1 - James Harden
20,962 career points
44% career field goal percentage
James Harden, A.K.A. "The Beard", is one of the best players of his generation. He has eliminated any debate with proven results. Harden has been a prolific scorer since he entered the NBA and has not slowed down at all. Harden averaged a ridiculous 34 points per game for the Rockets in the 2019-20 season and has led the entire league in scoring for the past three seasons. Harden is already atop the best left-handed scorers, and only recently seems to have hit his prime. James Harden will likely go down as one of the best shooters in NBA history.
