Retro Basketball Update: The Hook Shot Is Back

In its heyday, the hook shot was a beautiful thing to watch. When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had the ball low, everyone, including his defender, knew his famous hook shot was coming next. As his long arms lifted the ball skyward, the ball apparently fell from the sky into the basket. Many post players of that era continued with their own style of hook shot. The world famous New York Knicks of the early 1970s had four hook players, most notably Willis Reed. Bill Russell had his trademark rolling left hand hook that no one could stop. It became the favorite shot for players of all levels.

As the game evolved through the Michael Jordan-led ’80s, the hook died out. The new “shot of choice” became the jump hook because all players could shoot it in lane. From 5-10 shooting guards to 7 feet, all players can now score off the screen.

Today’s game is much faster, faster and stronger than Abdul-Jabbar’s. With this transition came the formation of different post shots, the three-point shot and the urgency to get to the basket. Is the hook shot gone forever? Probably not. It’s still an unstoppable shot around the basket that even the below-average player can make with great efficiency. Because we live in a retro world, the hook is just accumulating energy for his return.

Earlier this season, Jemareo Davidson made a splash by bringing the hook shot back into play. Davidson hit two fly balls, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s signature shot decades ago, during the key second-half streak in No. 8 Alabama’s 70-55 win over Oklahoma. “I’m getting to where I’m comfortable,” Davidson, who had 17 points, said of the sky hook. “No one can block it until now.”

One of the biggest fans of Davidson’s new opportunity is Crimson Tide head coach Mark Gottfried. “I love it. It’s a shot he can make,” Gottfried said. “Nobody really shoots the hook shot anymore. It’s a tough shot to block.”

Thanks to Jemareo Davidson for reintroducing this great hit to the game. Not only is it difficult to defend, but it’s a very high shooting percentage around the basket. When you start seeing the hook filter again at all levels, remember that you heard about it here first.