Even as a teenager in college, the 6-10 Ryan Anderson looked to be up next in what would eventually become a long line of big men capable of shooting from the outside, and upon reaching the NBA, he turned that prophecy into a reality.
From the moment his pro career began in 2008, Anderson showed the ability to space the court from the 3-point line. Coaches would slot him mostly at the power forward position as a way to create extra space for ballhandlers, and rather than roll all the way to the bucket, he’d pop out beyond the arc for open shots after setting screens.
Dirk Nowitzki had brought the big-man shooter to light as he developed into a perennial All-Star, but in the late 2000s and early 10s, having a guy of that size with such a sweet outside stroke was still a very rare luxury, one Anderson brought to New Orleans from 2012-16.
For as good of a long-range sniper as he was, he also combined that unique skill with the ability to function as a post presence on either block. He wouldn’t necessarily bully his way to the basket, but with his shooting ability, he could hit defenders with a number of turnaround fadeaways that were nearly unblockable due to his towering size.
He would average a productive 16.1 points per game with the organization but would miss an average of 24.5 games per season due to injury. Had he been relatively healthy, his impact may have been felt even more as one of the first near seven-footers to step where not many before him ever had.