Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had a storied career that saw him win several awards. In his trophy cabinet, the big man boasts a bevy of NBA championships and MVP honors. In addition, he is also the all-time top scorer in NBA history.

Abdul-Jabbar also gave birth to arguably one of the most unstoppable and aesthetically pleasing moves in the league’s history. For 20 glorious seasons, his famous ‘skyhook’ shot enthralled spectators. His offensive effectiveness was primarily attributable to his deployment of this cut-throat shot.

The NBA legend continued to be an exceptionally effective player. He surrendered opponents to his offensive brilliance nightly behind the skyhook’s supremacy.

It was nearly impossible to obstruct the skyhook. It is one of the most iconic images of the NBA, with Abdul-Jabbar’s long reach extending the rock away from even the finest defenders. Defenders were aware that the shot was imminent, but they were incapable of preventing it almost every time.

The legend, of course, was well aware of that and worked tirelessly to execute his signature shot flawlessly. He honed it to the point that no one could block it and he seldom missed. However, despite the skyhook being an overpowering shot, it is a scoring approach that hasn’t caught on long beyond his time.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar understands why the sky hook has become a lost art in today’s NBA

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has continued to be a vocal push and supporter of the skyhook. However, he understands why his iconic shot won’t be recreated.

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Abdul-Jabbar commented on the scarcity of the skyhook and believes that the obsession with long-range shooting is a primary factor.

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Abdul-Jabbar said, “The reason that young kids today learn how to shoot hook shots is because everybody is so enamored with the 3-point shot. So the kids don’t want two points. They don’t want to work with their back to the basket. That’s not cool. They want to go out there in the stratosphere and shoot 3-pointers.”

Interestingly, despite being the all-time leading scorer, Abdul-Jabbar only attempted 18 3-pointers throughout his career, just one of which he converted.

Fair to say, the game has evolved significantly since the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s era. A new era of basketball has been ushered in, that sees players launch the ball from well beyond the arc. And unarguably, the pioneer of this evolution is Stephen Curry.

The transition has reduced the utilization of big men in the low post where they may use their size to score. Now, we’re seeing big men like Abdul-Jabbar unleash it from beyond the arc as well.

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However, there are several elite players in the game who can possibly add the skyhook to their arsenal. Players like Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Giannis Antetokounmpo are quite skilled already.

Will we see the skyhook regularly again in the NBA anytime soon? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.