How Wofford’s Fletcher Magee went from two-handed shots to one of college basketball’s best shooters

With over six seconds remaining in Wofford’s then-tied matchup at Georgia Tech on Dec. 6, junior Fletcher Magee jumped in front of a pass intended for his teammate Storm Murphy. A few dribbles with his left hand, followed by a crossover. Finally, a step-back three-pointer that sunk through the net.

The 6’4, 193-pound guard racked up three of his season-high 36 points via the game-winner, considering it the most memorable shot of his basketball career. He tied a season-high with eight threes as well.

“He knew that he was going to win the game for us,” assistant coach Kevin Giltner said. “Everyone in the gym knew he was going to win the game for us.”

Magee’s majestic touch from behind the arc has scorched opponents all season, as he’s first in Division I in three pointers made (114). He’s even the nation’s 12th-leading scorer with 22 points per game while shooting 91.9 percent from the line — tied for the fifth-highest free-throw percentage in the sport.

To develop into a prolific scoring option, though, his jumper underwent some major refinements.

Growing up, the Orlando, Fla. native relied on his two-handed, shot-put attempt. He admitted his form was unsuitable for the next level, yet he never felt the urge to change it because his shot was successful through middle school. But the summer before his freshman year at The First Academy, Beau Bufton, the son of then-head coach Bill Bufton, helped alter Magee’s technique.

“He (Bufton) came in and told me, ‘You’re a decent athlete, but if you want to play in college and after it, you’re going to have to be an amazing shooter,’” Magee said.

Bufton would open the high school’s gym during off hours in his freshman season on varsity. Magee said he eased into his newfound shot since he inherited plenty of wide-open looks. Over the next three campaigns, he focused on developing his fadeaway jumper and pull-up off the dribble.

Wofford coach Mike Young, who’s in his 16th season at the helm after joining the Terriers as an assistant in 1989, first noticed Magee amid his junior season at an AAU tournament. Even though he played alongside Ben Simmons and Antonio Blakeney, two future LSU Tigers before entering the pros, Young said his staff was fixated on him.

Not only did Magee morph into a polished shooter, but he also aimed to attend a small, private school. Young saw him as a potential replacement for then-senior guard Karl Cochran, who was named the 2014-15 Southern Conference Player of the Year. He cited similarities between Cochran and Magee’s prowess for finding clean looks via ball screens.

“I’ll let you (Magee) shoot it anytime you want, and I’ll never say a word to ya,” Young said. “It’s no different than a drop-back passer. I (the quarterback) wanna throw it 50 times. Well, come on. Throw it 50 times.”

In his third collegiate season, Magee is attempting 32.9 percent of Wofford’s (18-9, 8-5) total shots — tied for the 24th-most in the country. Beyond his aforementioned performance in the 63-60 win over Georgia Tech, he tallied 27 points (10-of-23 from the field, 4-of-12 on threes) in an upset victory at then-ranked No. 5 North Carolina on Dec. 20.

His true shooting percentage remains extremely efficient, too, sitting at 64.1 percent. Young credited that to the Terriers’ well-designed sets, such as, “dog two,” his favorite play for Magee.

Initially, he runs misdirection along the baseline before receiving the ball from the wing, as the forward delivers a fake screen. Once Magee obtains an inch of space, he’ll quickly rotate behind the center’s screen and pull-up. Young deemed him and Cochran as the best “runaway shooters” he has ever coached.

“Guys that can run away from the basket, catch the ball and turn — essentially while in the air,” Young said. “Gets his shoulders squared and gets himself turned to the basket. It’s a beautiful shot. There aren’t many that can do that. It takes a great deal of balance and lower-body stability.”

Magee added that he must keep opponents off balance, with teams constantly switching on ball screens to stick with him.

“You look at how they’re gonna guard you and how you’re gonna cut differently, if you’re gonna be physical or quick,” he said.