The year is 2026. The NBA is built largely on pace and space basketball. Centers who came into the league with elite rebounding as their selling point are now outshooting some of the game's brightest stars. Welcome to bizarro world.
If someone were to ask you who shoots a better percentage from beyond the arc between former Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond and current Cavs star Donovan Mitchell, who would you pick as the answer? Instinctively, the response would be Mitchell, right?
Now, of course, there would be no need for this elaborate set-up if the answer was not actually the opposite. At this current part of the 2025-26 NBA season, Drummond is registering a higher percentage from deep than Mitchell is. The Philadelphia 76ers center is shooting 37.3 percent from downtown. The MVP candidate in Cleveland is knocking down 36.9 percent by comparison.
With the league average sitting at 35.9 percent for this season, both players find themselves above that mark. The more reliable option to get you three points in the year 2026 is just not who you would think it is.
Andre Drummond's 3-point efficiency is outpacing Donovan Mitchell
Now, that last point was obviously a little tongue in cheek. The degree of difficult for the types of 3-point looks both players are taking is wildly different. Not only that, but volume is just as important to discuss for the purposes of context in this scenario.
Mitchell is hoisting 9.4 3-point attempts per game, with the Cavaliers relying on the healthy amount of offense that comes from his shot. To that degree, the star guard has delivered. Mitchell averages 3.5 makes a night. Even with some of the time missed, the Cavs All-Star is tied for third in the NBA with 191 total makes from distance.
Drummond has the efficiency, but that is really where it ends for the former Cavaliers starter. The 76ers big is connecting on 0.5 of his 1.3 attempts per game. That is good, and a massive improvement to his offensive game.
However, should a 3-point shootout happen tomorrow, no one would be picking Drummond as the anticipated winner. Money is still on Mitchell.
In all seriousness, seeing how Drummond has evolved does speak to the value of the 3-point shot in the NBA. Not that anyone was doubting it, but when a former lottery pick adds that facet to his arsenal to extend his career, it is pretty telling.
It will be a fun follow to see if, or when, Mitchell can reclaim the efficiency crown from Drummond. Until then, on Mar. 3 of the NBA season, the bragging rights do belong with the former Cav.