OKC Thunder Sharpshooter Able to Stay Focused and Confident From Perimeter

An OKC diamond in the rough is now one of their best three-point shooters, but needs to maintain a certain mindset to shoot at a high level.

Isaiah Joe is pictured during the Thunder media day at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Thunder guard Isaiah Joe emerged not only as one of the best perimeter shooters on the team, but in the entire NBA. The former second round pick has come out of nowhere, now proving to be a valuable option for quick points off the bench for OKC.

Being one of the league's premier sharpshooters comes with a different mentality. Guards like Joe are going to get the NBA's best defenders closing down on them prior to the release of a shot, making it significantly more challenging.

Joe's been known for his perimeter shooting since he came onto the scene in 2018 for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Being a high-level three point shooter for majority of his career has set him up well for the challenges of scoring on better defneders in the NBA.

"I think just being a shooter my entire life, it's just something that you learn to fight through.," Joe said. "Nobody is going to give you a wide-open look. So my thing is, if they don't block it, it should go in."

The former Razorback averaged 8.2 points per game for OKC last season, shooting 41.6% from the perimeter on 4.5 attempts per game. His percentage last season increased from the season prior, but he took around one shot less the season before.

Joe's consistency and efficiency has improved since his rookie season in 2020 and part of that is due to his confidence. His statistical increase, as well as his offseason preparation, have positively impacted his confidence levels.

"I think to be a really good shooter in this league, a good chunk of it is confidence," Joe said. "You see a lot of players that can shoot in workouts or in the gym, but when you get into a game, it's like it's not completely there."

Joe's constant work to improve his perimeter consistency and ability to knock down shots outside of a game-setting also aids in that confidence, which does bleed into in-game performances.

"That's just being able to carry that confidence and trust the work that you put in because the more you work at something, I feel like the more confident you can be in that," Joe said.

The Thunder sharpshooter should not see is role increase or decrease too significantly this season. His skillset comes at a premium and OKC has shown that they know how to effectively utilize his skillset. Even with an influx of talent added in the offseason, Joe still has a unique spot on the team.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.