Understanding the role of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's height in his domination with signature shot 'Skyhook'
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's height is a big reason why the NBA legend is the all-time leading scorer in the league. In 20 seasons, Abdul-Jabbar scored 38,387 points, propelling himself to the top of the list.
The six-time NBA champion used Skyhook, his own variant of a hook shot, to dominate opponents. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's height played a huge role as it allowed him to score efficiently and become unstoppable.
This article will take a closer look at Abdul-Jabbar's signature shot, its history and effectiveness throughout his career. Thanks to Skyhook, the center became one of the most decorated players to ever play in the NBA.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's height was essential to make Skyhook effective
At 7-foot-2, Kareem was one of the tallest players in the league during his prime. He is also one of the tallest players to ever play in the NBA. Due to this, he was a great player on both ends of the floor.
Skyhook was developed by George Mikan, who first used it during 1940s. Standing at 6-10, Mikan was able to use this shot to dominate his opponents as it was virtually unstoppable.
Three decades after Mikan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar entered the NBA. He was drafted as the first overall pick in the 1969 NBA draft and made an immediate impact in the league.
Five years after his rookie season, the 7-2 center led the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA Finals. The Bucks faced the Boston Celtics, and while being down 2-3 after five games, the center made a Skyhook to win Game 6 and tie the series.
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While many centers have used hook shots, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's height allowed him to take these shots from a much greater distance. Most players use hook shots from the paint, but the six-time NBA champion scored a lot of them outside of it.
Guarding Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a nightmare for every center. Not only was he tall and strong, but his arsenal was unstoppable. The 7-2 big man was very efficient and frequently used Skyhook for game winners.
Skyhook is generally considered one of the deadliest moves in basketball history. During his 20-year NBA career, Kareem was blocked only four times while using the move. Two of these blocks came from Wilt Chamberlain, another all-time great center.
Skyhook was extremely high
If it wasn't for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's height, Skyhook wouldn't have been as efficient as it was. However, Kareem stood at 7-2 and was able to release his Skyhook at 10 to 11 feet in the air.
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Considering that the basketball rims are 10 feet high, it's not surprising at all that Kareem was able to score efficiently on Skyhooks.
Many players have attempted the move long after Abdul-Jabbar retired, but none of them were as efficient nor as graceful while doing so as the six-time NBA champion.