FAQs
Through countless conversations on clubhouse, beginning October 2021, the 5 Level guys have experienced a ton of close-minded questions and rebuttals. We’ve also heard some good, honest, insightful questions. We’ve tried to answer a few of them below. Have an open mind. Don’t be a dinosaur.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a player a 5 level scorer?
The 5 Levels of Scoring framework is in its infancy. It’s not yet a precise science. But we have principles that guide our thinking. There are 3 factors that determine if a player gets “credit” for being a scorer at a particular level - 2 quantitative and 1 qualitative: (1) volume of shots in that level, (2) efficiency in that level, and (3) how opposing coaches/players think about a player as a threat in that level. There is some combination, yet specified, that determines if a player gets credit for that level.
Why do we need 2 levels beyond the 3 point line, if they’re both worth only 3 points?
Well, ask yourself, why, within the traditional 3 level scoring framework, did we need 2 levels below the arc, if they are both worth only 2 points? Mmmmmmmm. To answer the question more precisely, players who can score from level 5, have a real effect on the game. They space the court and create better offensive opportunities for their team. Their ability to score from deep must be accounted for by the defense.
There are only a few players who can shoot the 5th level shot, so why do we need to create a whole new level for these anomalies/exceptions?
To be clear, philosophically, the 5th level has always existed, we just discovered it and named it. Think about electricity. It always existed. It was just waiting for someone to discover and harness it.
It’s a misconception that only a few players can shoot the 5th level shot. There may only be a few players who have the green light to shoot it at will, regardless of time and situation, but there are certainly several players who do pull up from that level.
NBA players are more routinely working on their 5th level shot. Take a look at Kevin Durant’s pre-game workout. he spends a few minutes shooting from the 5th.
NBA trainers are increasingly working with players on their 5th level shot.
College players are increasingly working on this shot. Foresight allows us to see where the game is going.
Isn’t the floater a shot? How are you calling it a level?
Yes, the floater is a shot, not a level. We call the 2nd level the “floater range.” Any shot can be taken within the floater range. We just call it the floater range because (1) that’s the range that floaters are typically taken in, and (2) the floater is the primary shot used in that level.
We thought about calling it the “finesse range” at the recommendation of our boy Spike. Personally, I really like the finesse range. But I decided to keep it as the “floater range” because it helps to show who has an open mind (who’s a 5 level thinker) and who doesn’t. It’s a great litmus test. If a person can’t understand the difference between a “floater” and the “floater range” after we explain it clearly, they are not a 5 level thinker.
Why would I agree to the 5 Levels when it was created by a guy on Clubhouse who’s not in the NBA community?
5 Level thinking tells us that wisdom, knowledge, insight and innovation can come from anyone. 5 Level thinkers don’t need to wait for someone to tell us it’s ok to think what we think. We can judge an idea on its merits, separating the message from the messenger.
Is it true that the creator of the 5 Levels of Scoring framework created it out of bias for his favorite player, Steph Curry?
Regardless of the motivation of the creator, 5 Levels is real and makes sense to any open and honest basketball mind. Jason Roberts, the creator of the 5 Levels of Scoring framework, did indeed create the framework during his explanation that Steph Curry is the GOAT. He realized that there needed to be a new way to describe Curry’s scoring prowess. Jason initially thought that Steph Curry was the only 5 level scorer in the NBA. But after a little further conversation and pushback, Jason realized that there are multiple 5 level scorers in the NBA.