Just over a year ago — in the late stages of NBA training camp — Isaiah Joe’s basketball career would take a turn. While it took being waived by the Philadelphia 76ers, who selected him No. 49 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, it ended up being a huge catalyst for his NBA trajectory.

Coming out of college, Joe was known for being a shooter with the ability to play two positions well. Whether it be off-ball guard or more as a true wing, he proved to be effective at 6-foot-4.

With that in mind, he was drafted onto a Sixers team looking to win a championship immediately, meaning rotations were naturally shorter and there was less opportunity for young players to develop and earn time on the court throughout the season. As such, Joe played less than 1000 regular season minutes over two seasons in Philadelphia before he was waived in October of 2022. The 76ers were facing a roster crunch and had to reduce it to 15 players before the start of the season.

PROMOTED

While Oklahoma City also had a surplus of players on its roster, this was an opportunity Thunder GM Sam Presti and his staff could not pass up. Shortly after becoming available on the market, Joe signed a multi-year deal with the Thunder worth just shy of $6 million over three seasons.

Almost instantly, his contract became a steal for Oklahoma City. It didn’t take long before he started to carve out a role in the nightly lineup, putting together statement games throughout the season. The most memorable was perhaps his performance against the Dallas Mavericks, emerging as a key piece to ignite an overtime comeback win on a perfect night from 3-point range.

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Joe finished his first season with the Thunder playing in 73 games (10 starts) and averaging 9.5 points while shooting 40.9% from beyond the arc. This included nine games with at least 20 points, headlined by a 33-point outing against the Charlotte Hornets.

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Again, Joe was special in his breakout season — especially from beyond the arc. This is where his story really gets interesting. He’s always been a fantastic shooter, in large part due to his father, Derrick Joe.

Since his early days of playing, his father helped build the mechanics of his jumper. Joe has indicated that his dad wasn’t the greatest shooter, but his ability to teach shooting and the attention to detail is special. Even today, they talk daily and Joe gets feedback game-to-game on what he needs to think about moving forward. During the course of a season with all of the highs and lows, this is so important for Joe to have his father around — whether in-person or virtually.

“We talk after every game, good or bad. I feel like he’s the guy I can lean on whenever I am in a slump,” said Joe at media day. “Or even when I’m shooting good, he may see something and give me feedback. He’s always been the best at that.”

Given Derrick constructed his son’s shot, he knows it better than anyone. This is another reason the Thunder guard has so much trust in his advice and feedback to maintain his shooting efficiency.

“He has gotten me this far, so why not trust him now? He knows my shot pretty much better than I do,” said the Thunder sharpshooter.

Not only does Joe have his father to lean on as a resource and support system as it relates to his jumper, but he also has arguably the best shooting coach in the world with Chip Engelland on the Thunder staff. After spending many years in San Antonio with the Spurs training some of the top players in the history of the game, Engelland signed a contract with the Thunder and was key in Joe’s breakout 2022-23 campaign. He may not have been tweaking the mechanics of his jumper like he has with other players, but the mental side of being a shooter and the consistency element is certainly enhanced with Engelland’s presence on the staff.

Early in the 2023-24 season, Joe has once again proven to be a key piece of the roster. While he has always had more to his game than just shooting triples, he’s been able to showcase that additional upside this season as he creates for himself more frequently and looks improved defensively.

OKC Thunder: Isaiah Joe’s 3-Point Success Comes With Assist From Father

Isaiah Joe's basketball career took a significant turn after being waived by the Philadelphia 76ers. Signed to a multi-year deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Joe has flourished, particularly from beyond the arc, with the help of his father, Derrick Joe, and shooting coach Chip Engelland. Joe's performance has been notable, especially in his breakout season with the Thunder, where he averaged 9.5 points per game, shooting 40.9% from three-point range.