No other player in the history of the game has come close to developing a shot that is more lethal and more effective in crunch-time situations, than the Sky hook shot. And no other offensive weapon was more reliable when it was needed the most.
Furthermore, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's sky hook shot has not been duplicated like the dunk or the finger roll have been, and this puts Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in a class all by himself.
Because Kareem could use the sky hook with equal effectiveness with either his right or his left hand, and from any distance from the basket, it has basically transcended any element of the game of basketball that came after it.
Now, top this all off with the fact that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored more points (38,387) and had greater longevity in a career that spanned over 21 seasons, makes it hard to find a better argument. Karl Malone's 36,928 points and Michael Jordan's 32,292 points keeps one of those players (Jordan) in the conversation for the all-time best.
But Kareem's sky hook was so devastating, opposing coaches and players had no other choice but to poke him in the eyes to try to stop it. This is when Kareem had to bring out the goggles. So, for you youngsters out there who were born in the '90s and later, contrary to popular belief, it was not Rip Hamilton or A'mare Stoudemaire that were the first to sport something protective over their faces during a game.
It was the big fella, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, formerly Lou Alcindor, a collegiate phenomenon at UCLA and the greatest thing to every come out of the New York City since the subway was invented.
Critics will argue that it is Shaquille O'...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
