Golden State Warriors: 15 best sharpshooters of all-time

During the early years of Stephen Curry’s career, he and fellow guard Monta Ellis really had to learn to play together. Ellis emerged as more of a volume shooter than a passer in the early going, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

During his rookie season, he put up just 6.8 points per game. In 2006-07, he won the NBA Most Improved Player award after producing 16.5 points per game.

Ellis certainly wasn’t afraid to shoot the basketball during his years with the Warriors. He averaged 16.9 shot attempts per game from 2005-12. As time progressed, Ellis learned to extend his range beyond the 3-point line.

At 6-foot-3, Ellis was a fearless player with a knack for attacking the rim. As time went on, he had to adjust as guards were getting taller and versatility became more important than shooting at volume.

By the end of his tenure with Golden State, he ranked 11th all-time in 3-pointers made with 351. During the 2010-11 season, he turned in his best season from 3-point range, making 137-of-379 3-point shots.

He shot a career-high 36.1 percent from 3-point land as well. It’s no coincidence Ellis led the leagues in minutes (3,227) that same season. He shot 32.9 percent from 3-point range during his time with the Warriors.

Before Klay Thompson, there was Monta Ellis in the backcourt with Curry. The duo managed to make one playoff appearance together. Ultimately, “The Splash Brothers” took over.