One-Sheet Collections: Most 3s by 7-Footers
The One-Sheet Collections idea is a simple concept with infinite possibilities. Take a single nine-pocket sheet and a reasonable $100 budget, and build a nine-card collection with a unifying theme.
This week my focus was on players who are 7’0″ or taller who have made the most three-pointers in their NBA career. Dirk Nowitzki sits atop that list by a wide margin, and he helped usher in the new era of stretch fours and perimeter-focused big men.
Ahead we’ve selected one card from each player in the top nine on the all-time list for made threes by a player 7’0″ or taller. With six active players on this list, these rankings could continue to shuffle in the coming years.
1998-99 Upper Deck #320 Dirk Nowitzki RC ($15)
Made 3s: 1,982
Nowitzki turned heads at the 1998 Nike Hoop Summit before going No. 9 overall in that year’s draft to the Mavericks. By his second NBA season he averaged 17.5 points and knocked down 116 threes at a 37.9 percent clip. The 7’0″ forward would go on to spend his entire 21-year career in Dallas, and he currently ranks 15th on the all-time list in made three-pointers.
A no-doubt future Hall of Famer, Nowitzki’s Rookie Cards are still somewhat reasonably priced outside of his SP Authentic and Topps Chrome. I’ve opted for his Upper Deck base RC here with its basketball court background and distinct “Rookie Watch” text.
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2005-06 Topps #228 Channing Frye RC ($1.50)
Total 3s: 1,049
Frye shot just 6-for-23 from beyond the arc during his entire four-year college career at Arizona, and he made just 20 threes over his first four seasons in the NBA. However, his perimeter game became a focal point during the 2009-10 season when he drained 172 threes at a blistering 43.9 percent rate, and that would be one of five seasons where he made at least 100 three-pointers.
Most of his 30 different Rookie Cards can be found for just a couple dollars, and even his short-printed and autographed options won’t break the bank.
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2017-18 Donruss Optic #159 Lauri Markkanen RC ($8)
Total 3s: 791
The Bulls selected Markkanen with the No. 7 pick in the 2017 draft, and he has made at least 100 threes in each of his first six seasons in the NBA. He is enjoying a career year with 24.7 points per game, and with 157 made threes entering play on Feb. 9 he is on pace to break the single-season record (187) for three-pointers by a play over 7’0″ tall.
His Rookie Cards had some initial steam when he was an All-Rookie performer, and now they are enjoying a bit of a secondary surge in the midst of his breakout season in Utah.
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2008-09 SkyBox #210 Brook Lopez RC ($3)
Total 3s: 748
A traditional back-to-the-basket post player in college, Lopez did not make his first three-pointer until his seventh season in the NBA. Two years later, it became a major part of his offensive game, and during the 2018-19 season he set the NBA record for threes by a player over 7’0″ tall with 187 at a rock solid 36.5 percent rate.
He has a few higher-end Rookie Cards, but most of his base options can be found for a couple dollars.
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2015-16 Panini Revolution #133 Kristaps Porzingis RC ($5)
Total 3s: 696
Porzingis was a hobby darling early in his career with the Knicks when he looked like a budding superstar, but an ACL injury during the 2018-19 season derailed his rise. He has returned strong from that injury to average at least 20 points per game each of the past four seasons, and he is well on his way to a third year with at least 100 threes made.
There is still some solid hobby value here, as even his Donruss base rookie has a book value of $20, so I’ve opted for one of his lower-end options from the Panini Revolution set to fit the budget of this exercise.
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2006-07 Topps Chrome #180 Andrea Bargnani RC ($2.50)
Total 3s: 627
The Raptors selected Bargnani with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft, and he joined a roster led by Chris Bosh and T.J. Ford. The pieces never quite fell into place for him to live up to lofty expectations, but he enjoyed a productive 10-year career where he averaged 14.3 points and shot 35.4 percent from distance.
His status as the top pick made him one of the chase cards in 2006-07 products when they were first released, but now the majority of his rookies are extremely affordable.
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2014-15 Panini Prizm #73 Giannis Antetokounmpo ($30)
Total 3s: 484
The “Greek Freak” earns a spot on this list more as a result of volume than marksmanship. He is a career 28.7 percent shooter from three-point range, and that has dipped to 26.7 percent this year despite a career-best 32.2 points per game. He should continue to steadily climb these rankings in the coming years simply due to his usage rate.
None of his Rookie Cards fit the budget here, but his second-year Panini Prizm base card is a great early option with a more reasonable price tag.
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2014-15 Hoops #263 Joel Embiid RC ($30)
Total 3s: 438
Embiid has averaged at least one made three per game in each of his seven NBA seasons, adding a wrinkle to his offensive game that helps keep opposing defenses honest. The 7’0″, 280-pound big man made a career-high 93 threes last season at a solid 37.1 percent clip.
Despite the 76ers failure to advance beyond the conference semifinals during their current window of contention, Embiid remains one of the more popular players in the sport and in the hobby.
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2015-16 Donruss #241 Frank Kaminsky RC ($1)
Total 3s: 426
Kaminsky was a consensus All-American during his senior season at Wisconsin when he led the Badgers to the national title game, and the Hornets selected him with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2015 draft. He has been a useful role player, averaging 9.0 points and shooting 35.0 percent from deep in eight NBA seasons.
A dollar or two is all it takes to scoop up any of his base Rookie Cards.
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Total: $96
