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Former UNC sharpshooter first NBA rookie to accomplish rare feat
TL;DR
Cormac Ryan, a former UNC basketball player, made history as the first NBA rookie to achieve 50/40/90 shooting splits in a season. He finished with 52% overall shooting, 45.8% from three-point range, and 92.3% at the free throw line.
The 2023-24 UNC basketball team, loaded with experienced veterans and young talent, provided a much-needed bounce back from one season before.
That North Carolina squad earned a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament, quickly dispatching Wagner and Michigan State, before losing to Alabama in the Sweet 16.
One key player from that Tar Heels team, sharpshooter Cormac Ryan, recently capped off a historic rookie NBA season. Ryan is the first rookie, in NBA history, to average 50/40/90 shooting splits for a season.
Ryan ended his rookie campaign shooting 52 percent overall on field goals, 45.8% on 3-pointers and 92.3% at the free throw line, the last percentage of which UNC desperately needed during its own 2025-26 season.
On Friday, Ryan netted a career-high 28 points during the Milwaukee Bucks' 125-108 win vs. the Brooklyn Nets. Previously, Ryan became Milwaukee's first rookie since Brandon Jennings, with multiple 20-point outings in his first seven career games.
The Bucks are heading in a bad direction, recently firing head coach Doc Rivers after missing postseason action for the first time since 2016. Milwaukee also dealt with an injury to superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo for most of the year, with no great backup plan to overshadow his injury.
Ryan averaged 14.3 points per game in 11 appearances (two starts), adding 2.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Ryan reached double figures in his final eight games, proving himself worthy of a full-time NBA roster spot in the 2026-27 campaign.
As the Bucks are likely to make sweeping changes, is Ryan a part of their future? Or will the former North Carolina sharpshooter find a new home?
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Cormac Ryan makes NBA history
Q&A
What are Cormac Ryan's shooting statistics for his rookie NBA season?
Cormac Ryan averaged 52% overall shooting, 45.8% from three-point range, and 92.3% at the free throw line during his rookie season.
How did Cormac Ryan's performance impact the UNC basketball team?
Ryan's free throw shooting percentage of 92.3% was particularly crucial for UNC during their 2025-26 season.
Who is the first NBA rookie to achieve 50/40/90 shooting splits?
Cormac Ryan is the first rookie in NBA history to average 50/40/90 shooting splits for a season.