Signature shots have been a staple of the NBA since time immemorial. But none arguably find their place in NBA lore as much as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s Skyhook.
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Kareem’s Skyhook was deemed unstoppable, and it undeniably was. Aided by the Skyhook, The Captain rode his way to the top of the NBA scoring summit where he was only recently surpassed by LeBron James.
However, despite the obvious effectiveness of the shot, it hasn’t been reproduced by many or with considerable success either. Defenses in the league haven’t had to deal with the Skyhook for quite some time and Kareem seems to have put some thought as to why his move hasn’t become more commonplace.
While the Captain doesn’t believe it is a difficult move to master, he believes it has gone out of style. Kareem, for all his consideration, doesn’t seem to have figured out why the move isn’t more prevalent in today’s game.
Also read: “Sky-Hook or Jump Shot From Three?”: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Answers How He’d Adapt to Current-Day NBA
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explained how a simple drill could make one an expert in his art.
Kareem, paying his respects to another Laker great, George Mikan, mentioned how practicing the “Mikan drill” can grant anyone expertise in the art of the Skyhook. The Lakers star described how just the Mikan drill could help round one’s game in terms of various details ranging from footwork to mastering the use of the backboard.
Kareem is observant about how his move has gone out of vogue over time. There are still instances of players relying on variations of the hook shot to get points. But a steady diet of Skyhooks isn’t part of anyone’s repertoire anymore.
With the mid-range and paint becoming less relevant in the game, the Skyhook might just become obsolete soon. The elegance and effectiveness of Kareem’s Skyhook may just remain uniquely associated with The Captain in basketball lore.
There aren’t many moves that have been portrayed historically as unblockable. The Skyhook remains atop that list in effectiveness.
Such was the effectiveness of the shot that the list of players to have blocked it is minuscule.
No other shot arguably holds a candle to Kareem’s Skyhook and its inevitable nature. Online NBA discussion forums have had a fair share of discussions about who has managed to do it. Scourging close to twenty years of NBA footage to gather evidence is a tough task indeed.
But the NBA fans online have managed to do the same and the list of people that popped up to have blocked Kareem is illustrious for sure. Julius Erving, Ralph Sampson, Bill Walton, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Mark Eaton are part of the list.
That’s a list almost exclusively occupied by some of the most feared rim protectors in NBA history. And despite the such tremendous success, the Skyhook isn’t as relevant as one would expect.
