Skyhook theories?

[The Big Dipper]

Originally Posted by E.H. Munro

Most bigs agree, which is why they shoot the baby hook. It's every bit as tough to block, with a quicker release and better accuracy. I think the skyhook is just one of those things, like the screwball, that's been superseded by better options. Were guys like Fernando Valenzuela great with that screwball? Yeah. But it wrecked his elbow prematurely.

I gotta go watch some baby hook shots when I get home, I guess I need to study that too. Because it's existence doesn't in my eyes cancel out the need for a sky hook. Ill get back to you.

[Dee-Zy]

I agree that baby hooks are quicker and have a better FG% but the hook shot is a lot harder to block, almost unblockable. I truly think that if big men took the actual time to practice it, the FG% wouldn't be as bad as it is now.

Less effective than a baby hook but the shot will also be blocked a lot less.

[E.H. Munro]

Huh? Shooting on a leaguewide basis has been virtually unchanged for 40 years. Teams shoot far more treys now than they did a quarter century ago, but when you look at the aFG% the numbers have been very static (similarly with FT%).

[E.H. Munro]

Originally Posted by The Big Dipper

I gotta go watch some baby hook shots when I get home, I guess I need to study that too. Because it's existence doesn't in my eyes cancel out the need for a sky hook. Ill get back to you.

Rondo, Lee and Bradley have all had some nifty running hooks tonight.

[JBKB]

Originally Posted by The Big Dipper

Anyone have any theories as to why it has fallen out of use? Or even the hook shot in general?

I once saw a youtube video where Shaq called it old school and not sexy. Surely this can not be the only reason?

Kareem at 7'2" had significant height advantage. As an extreme example, imagine if Nate Robinson tried to perfect the hook shot. He would probably encounter far more blocks than someone much taller. The move isn't at all difficult if you ask me.

I agree with those who say there is more than one way to get the job done.

[Jace]

Originally Posted by JBKB

Kareem at 7'2" had significant height advantage. As an extreme example, imagine if Nate Robinson tried to perfect the hook shot. He would probably encounter far more blocks than someone much taller. The move isn't at all difficult if you ask me.

I agree with those who say there is more than one way to get the job done.

When did you perfect your sky hook?

[JBKB]

Originally Posted by Jace

When did you perfect your sky hook?

There is nothing complicated about performing a sky hook shot. Practice makes perfect. Ray Allen is a great three-point shooter because he avidly practices them.

[Mrs. Thang]

The sky hook takes too long to execute and exposes the ball for a long time. Post players do not have as much room as they used to because zone defenses used to be illegal. If a defender got too far away from his man without committing to a double team a technical foul was called. There was no overloading the strong side of the floor like there is today.

Watch that highlight video of Kareem. Notice how there is never anybody around to cut off his long leisurly forrays in to the middle of the paint? NBA defense just doesn't look like that today.

[RollWithEm]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Thang

Watch that highlight video of Kareem. Notice how there is never anybody around to cut off his long leisurly forrays in to the middle of the paint? NBA defense just doesn't look like that today.

It is remarkable how few players doubled down hard once he put the ball on the floor. They were staying tight to their man on the perimeter even when that man was a questionable shooter. You hardly ever see that stuff anymore.

[seifer0406]

Like someone said the skyhook is most effective when you have a significant height advantage. You also need to be ambidextrous or else the shot becomes predictable as you can only go one way. There just aren't that many bigs who are that big and that coordinated to pull it off.