Kings Midrange King Hits Major Milestone

It might be a long time before fans get to see another player like Sacramento Kings swingman DeMar DeRozan , who became the 27th player in NBA history to score 25,000 or more career points during his teams loss to the Chicago Bulls.

At a time when the 3-ball has changed the way the sports is played and analyzed, the six-time All-Star has resisted the revolution, sticking to his guns.

In fact, when DeRozan nailed the shot that got him past the threshold of his latest milestone, it was a midrange bucket.

His shot.

The one that defined an entire era.

The one that was popularized by NBA icons like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant , two players that the 35-year-old is known to have immense respect for.

Kings Midrange King DeMar DeRozan Hits 25K Milestone In 2024-25, DeRozan is averaging 22.2 points per game, his 12th straight season averaging at least 20 points per game.

Though hes only averaged over 25 points per game twice in that span, his durability and remarkable consistency have allowed him to surpass Hall of Fame players like Larry Bird , Dwyane Wade and Allen Iverson in all-time scoring.

& DeMar DeRozan tallies his 25,000th all-time career points! pic.twitter.com/7aU7ReIgV0 Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) March 21, 2025 A quick and catlike scorer, Iverson averaged 28.9 points per game from 1998-99 to 2007-08.

However, the 11-time All-Star fizzled out after that, his play and health declining.

Similarly, Wade averaged 27.0 points per game from 2005-06 to 2010-11.

Yet, the 13-time All-Stars body began to deteriorate due to wear and tear.

Birds abbreviated career are well-documented.

Even with chronic back issues, the three-time NBA MVP averaged 27.3 points per game from 1983-84 to 1987-88.

Different Breed Iverson was more athletic than DeRozan.

This gave him an advantage over him offensively.

Yet, and perhaps because he needs less grease on his wheels, the effects of aging didnt affect DeRozans game much as Iversons.

Hes far less likely to blow past a defender these days.

In fact, hes scored on a career-low seven dunks in 2024-25.

Nonetheless, similar to Wade, hes able to pull out ol reliable the midrange jumper.

His footwork and touch could be on the same level as Wades, if not better.

He certainly has a slight height advantage over Wade.

In any case, this has served him extremely well, as hes converted 45.4 percent of shots hes taken 10-16 feet away from the rim for his career.

If he can establish position closer to the basket hes even better, shooting 46.9 percent 3-10 feet away from the rim.

The only active player with 25,000+ PTS and under 1,000 career 3P: pic.twitter.com/GF8Gdkza7Z StatMuse (@statmuse) March 21, 2025 He might not be able to shoot like Bird when he gets beyond the arc.

He hasnt had to though.

To be frank, its a clear limitation that can be disadvantageous.

Even still, DeRozan has just 112 fewer career points than Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry .

Considered the greatest 3-point shooter of all-time, Curry was drafted two spots ahead of DeRozan.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission..

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