Look at the list of top scorers in the NBA over the last two years, and one name might stand out: Kevin Martin. As in, who is Kevin Martin? The unconventional (read: awkward) shooting guard has flown under the radar, coming out of mid-major land in college, and then landing on the Kings just as they entered their rebuilding phase.
Kevin Martin: Better Than You Think
↵But John Krolik of SLAM explains, Martin is even better than his 23.2 ppg and 42% field goal percentage might lead you to believe. Turns out, Martin is one of the league leaders in True Shooting Percentage (TS%). And what is TS%? It’s basketball stats nerds’ answer to EqA in baseball: a stat that takes into account three-pointers and free throws in calculating a player’s shooting percentage. Since a high percentage of Martin’s shots come from downtown, and he’s extremely proficient at drawing contact, Martin’s TS% is roughly 60% - a number only three-point specialists like Brent Barry put up. Compared to other high-volume scorers like Kobe Bryant and Lebron James, Martin is in a class by himself.
↵So next time you flip the channel past a Kings game, remember: you’re missing out on this generation’s most underrated long-distance chucker.
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