Class is permanent, as exemplified by the evergreen 86-year-old Oscar Robertson. No wonder two different franchises retired his jersey. While we see the likes of Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook recording triple-doubles for fun, Big O was the pioneer of the triple-double. He is one of the most respected legends of the game, and a lot of that has to do with how he has always promoted the game and praised the next generation. And that love is reciprocated often, as it did yesterday.

In a recent video posted by Chris Matthews, commonly known as “Lethal Shooter”, he challenged Robertson to make a shot. “Big O, Mr. Triple Double, you can’t shoot anymore,” he teased the NBA icon. Without batting an eyelid, the 12x All-Star executed a perfect no-look shot with his back facing the basket. That would knock the socks off of anyone who would see it live, and it also left the coach flabbergasted.

The caption of his post read, “86 years old, Oscar Robertson aka THE BIG O still doesn’t miss… We appreciate your GREATNESS and everything you’ve done for the game of basketball. He understands it!🎯” He also listed all the achievements from a legendary career.

Watching this video, Celtics legend Kevin Garnett showed his praise and appreciation for the ‘Big O’, writing on his Instagram story, “The big Oooooo, n lethal, respectoooo,” showing his tremendous love and appreciation for the veteran of the sport.

Oscar Robertson is a 12x NBA All-Star, 9x All-NBA first-team, 6x NBA assist leader, Ranked #2 All-Time w/ 181 career triple-doubles, NBA Hall of Famer, and a 3x NCAA scoring champion, among numerous other accolades. Robertson was so special that all the teams he ever played for decided to retire the jersey. The number 14 by the Sacramento Kings, the number 1 by the Milwaukee Bucks, and the number 12 by the Cincinnati Bearcats. 

Despite being 86 years old, Oscar Robertson still has plenty of skills to offer.

Oscar Robertson, redefining an era!

Oscar Robinson played in the NBA from 1960 to 1974, spending his first ten seasons with the Cincinnati Royals (now Sacramento Kings) and the last four with the Milwaukee Bucks. He is known for being the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double over an entire season, 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game! Ridiculous numbers! 

He was a dominant scorer, rebounder, and playmaker and helped redefine the way the guard position was viewed. Oscar Robertson made the no-look shot famous. As seen in the video, the 86-year-old has still got it. The shot was a signature move and a testament to the court awareness that he possessed and his ability to break convention and try out moves that defied the ordinary.

Robertson’s composure and mechanics allowed him to shoot effectively even without focusing on the rim, a shining example of his dexterity and elite hand-eye coordination. Moves like this were rare in Robertson’s era, adding to his reputation as a player who was way ahead of his time, combining fundamentals with flair.

Kevin Garnett, being a huge fan of the game’s history, often uses examples like this to highlight the unique brilliance of players. Through this, he hopes to inspire younger players and underscore the evolution of basketball IQ and skill across generations.