Few have perfected the mid-range clinic quite like Richard Hamilton. After penetrating from the corner, the Detroit Pistons shooting guard loses his man with a pump fake then deftly nails a jump shot while drawing a foul. Hamilton racked up 28 points in 27 minutes of work against the New York Knicks on April 16, 2006.

Richard Hamilton

Richard Hamilton baits defender, buries jumper and draws foul

Draining a three from the logo is one thing — pulling up for a dangerously deep triple while knotted in overtime is something else entirely. After securing possession of the ball just inside the half-court line, Dallas Wings guard Marina Mabrey cues up and hits for three of the 26 points she put up against the reigning champion Seattle Storm on May 22, 2021.

Marina Mabrey

Marina Mabrey pulls up with confidence and buries OT triple from the logo

It doesn’t have to be conventional to be effective - scorers find a way. Leading the pack as her teammates set out in transition, Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd tracks down a full-court Sue Bird lob, leaps to corral the ambitious pass beyond the reach of her defender then contorts her body to finish the play for two. Loyd racked up 17 points in the May 6, 2022 victory over the Minnesota Lynx.

Jewell Loyd

Jewell Loyd runs the floor to convert fullcourt alley-oop

It’s not just the length but the power! Giannis Antetokounmpo gets his defender off his feet then glides into the paint for a massive one-handed slam. Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks held on for a 110-101 victory over the Detroit Pistons on January 13, 2021.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo puts ball on the floor for towering one-hand slam

If you need an offensive spark to charge your second unit, few can bring it to the degree that Natisha Hiedeman can. Leading the Connecticut Sun in transition, the talented guard shows off her playmaking chops, threading a precise, off-hand bounce pass in between four New York Liberty defenders to set up a teammate for a score. Hiedeman led the Sun reserves with five points, six assists, three rebounds and one steal on May 7, 2022.

Natisha Hiedeman

Natisha Hiedeman zips transition bounce pass through multiple defenders

Benefitting from both good health and a new home with the Minnesota Lynx, Moriah Jefferson has wasted zero time making an impact with her new squad. Showing off the limitless energy that’s become her calling card, Jefferson sneaks in at the last second to break up an errant Phoenix Mercury inbound pass attempt before capping the play with a silky smooth one-handed reverse layup to fire up her teammates. The Lynx guard was on her A-game against the defending Western Conference Champions, leading a balanced scoring charge with 21 points, three rebounds, five assists, three three-pointers and two steals in a 100-88 win on June 23, 2022.

Moriah Jefferson

Moriah Jefferson breaks up inbound pass, converts off the turnover

Sometimes, the difference between a star and a full-on superstar can be found through how a player responds in must-win games with the season on the line. Down 3-2 against the defending NBA champions on their own home court, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum showed which type he was in Game 6. Working against a taxing Bucks defense late in the game, Tatum finds an extra gear, rejecting a pick-and-roll on the way to the basket before exploding through with a strong, and-one layup in traffic, pushing the Celtics’ lead to 13 with two minutes to go. Forcing Game 7, Tatum pieced together a 46-point, nine-rebound, four-assist game with seven triples on May 13, 2022.

Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum wills team past Bucks with 46 points in must-win 2022 Playoff game

Happy to embrace a slightly larger offensive role in his third season with the Milwaukee Bucks, Jrue Holiday earned his second career All-Star nod 10 seasons after he earned his first. The 32-year-old’s 19.3 points per game were the second-highest of his career, but ultimately it’s the veteran guard’s acumen on both ends of the floor that the team will need to leverage with their eyes set on a second title in three seasons.

Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday Redemption for 2023 NBA Playoffs

Elite hoopers can finish from any angle around the rim. Phoenix Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith gets a jump on her defender as she penetrates from the perimeter, heads straight to the cup and rotates mid-air to bury a tough reverse layup on July 9, 2021. Diggins-Smith dropped 26 points and six dimes in the win over the reigning champion Seattle Storm.

Skylar Diggins-Smith

Skylar Diggins-Smith cuts baseline for falling reverse layup

Olivia Nelson-Ododa’s first career double-double paired perfectly with a dominant showing by the Connecticut Sun. Nelson-Ododa put her strength in the low post on display against the Indiana Fever as she went right to work on Emma Cannon, embracing contact in the paint and finishing with a layup. The Connecticut reserve forward posted 10 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in a season-high 28 minutes as her squad cruised to an 88-72 victory on August 4, 2023.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa

Olivia Nelson-Ododa battles through contact in double-double

Zia Cooke’s WNBA debut was both efficient and victorious. The Los Angeles Sparks made Cooke the 10th selection of the 2023 draft, and she went right to work for her new squad. The talented guard used a helpful screen from Dearica Hamby to create enough space to rise up for an elbow jumper that she drained despite a strong defensive effort by Phoenix Mercury guard Sug Sutton. Cooke scored 14 points on 5 of 6 from the field — she made both of her free throws and 3-pointers — while adding two rebounds and two assists in a 15-minute run off the bench in the Sparks’ 94-71 win on May 19, 2023. 

Zia Cooke

Zia Cooke drills pullup jumper in impressive WNBA debut

Brace for Liz Cambage to deal damage in the paint but that doesn’t mean you can leave her unchecked out on the perimeter. Slighted by a total lack of coverage out at the three-point line, the 6-foot-8 Las Vegas Aces center cues up and buries a triple before revelling in the moment on her way back down the court. Cambage put up 14 points and eight boards in the June 13, 2021 win over the Dallas Wings.

Liz Cambage

Liz Cambage punishes defense for leaving her open beyond the arc

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