The Sky Hook

[Kingster]

So why doesn't Spencer make that his signature move?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/features/kareem

 

[vikinginferno]

Well it wouldn't really be his signature move, it already is Kareem's. But yeah the sky hook would be a good move to use for Spencer.

 

[NoBonus]

He has talked about incorporating the sky hook into his game... if anyone would/could do it, it would be Spencer Hawes.

 

[sidney]

I'm still waiting to see more of the crafty post moves Spencer showed back in school. That really looked like his most unique skill when drafted. I wonder if Westphal will do more with that part of his game.

 

[Bricklayer]

So why doesn't Spencer make that his signature move?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/features/kareem

Unfortunately if it was as easy as all that I think a lot of guys would have used it over the years. But I supect Kareem was working on that shot, and that shot alone, from the time he was like 10 or something, and probably taking hundreds of them a day. Lethal weapon and yeah, be great if Spencer had it, but its not one for dilletantes.

As an aside, I would actually say that Spencer already has all of the offensive moves he needs to be a real force in there. He's got like McHale moves. But what he doesn't have is either the willingness to take and use contact, the patience to set the moves up, or the plan and knowledge of how and when to use them. But he's got more moves than Dwight Howard or Yao. That's not his problem. A skyhook would be yet another weapon for him if he magically had it, and maybe one better suited to his finessey game, but what he really needs is a toughness/smartness coach to put it all together. Maybe one of those wizened old kung fu master types that always crop up in the movies to train the hero on how to master his mind and body. Break some bamboo boards over his head and stuff. Use your caboose young grasshopper! Wax on, wax off!

P.S. If I owned the Kings I would seriously, ifg McHale decides not to coach next year, immediately put a call into him. The man is an idiot as a front office guy, but there could be no one better to settle Spencer's post game and encourage him to quit being a wuss in there.

 

[Showtime]

It's actually not that hard of a shot if you dedicate yourself to learning the fundamentals of this shot itself: the footwork, the angles, the form of the shot, and the release. I had trouble with the release, but once I got it right, it was pretty easy to get the shot off. I don't know why players don't practice it today.

 

[kennadog]

Maybe one of those wizened old kung fu master types that always crop up in the movies to train the hero on how to master his mind and body.

I guess Coachie isn't it, huh?

 

[Larry89]

Wasn't Kareem like 7'3 or 7'2 with super long Arms?

 

[Bricklayer]

Wasn't Kareem like 7'3 or 7'2 with super long Arms?

This of course made a major difference too.

A series of photos to display just how that incredible reach made it completely unblockable (except, as I recall, by Mark Eaton a couple of times very late in Kareem's career).

Over 6'9" Rick Mahorn -- how you going to block that?

No idea who that chump was, but he'd need a 48" vertical.

7'4" ralph Sampson, obviously bending his knees and camer angle, but still

When going over 7'1" Wilt it helps if oyu can shoot down into the basket


Meanwhile Spencer is only 7'0" because he wore lifts to the draft combine. He's long, but he's not Kareem long. Even if he was every bit as proficient there would still be guys who could get to it.

 

[Showtime]

I read that Spencer is actually 6'10'' without shoes on draftexpress.

But the difference in KAJ's hook was that he jumped and released at the top of his jump. It was a true "sky" hook. Many players can't develop that shot off of a one foot jump, and usually try a mini half hook.

 

[Bricklayer]

That left arm out there to always fend off would be shotblockers did not hurt either.

 

[King Baller]

I remember Magic had a version of the sky hook he would flash every now and then.

I do hope we see some traditional post move work from Hawes this coming season. If Hawes can be effective in there and draw a double team it would be sweet. Teams can guard the Kings straight up since none of them warrant double teaming. If Hawes can require doubling and pass out so the open man can be found I see Cisco, KMart and Noc lighting it up

KB

 

[Showtime]

I do hope we see some traditional post move work from Hawes this coming season. If Hawes can be effective in there and draw a double team it would be sweet.

That only works if his teammates get him the ball and the coach isn't a moron. There's only so much Spencer can do. He fights for position, often times gets good position, calls for the ball, and is passed up and asked to set screens at the 3 point line for a bad shot. The problem isn't Spencer, it's the team and the coaching style.

 

[bajaden]

Unfortunately if it was as easy as all that I think a lot of guys would have used it over the years. But I supect Kareem was working on that shot, and that shot alone, from the time he was like 10 or something, and probably taking hundreds of them a day. Lethal weapon and yeah, be great if Spencer had it, but its not one for dilletantes.

As an aside, I would actually say that Spencer already has all of the offensive moves he needs to be a real force in there. He's got like McHale moves. But what he doesn't have is either the willingness to take and use contact, the patience to set the moves up, or the plan and knowledge of how and when to use them. But he's got more moves than Dwight Howard or Yao. That's not his problem. A skyhook would be yet another weapon for him if he magically had it, and maybe one better suited to his finessey game, but what he really needs is a toughness/smartness coach to put it all together. Maybe one of those wizened old kung fu master types that always crop up in the movies to train the hero on how to master his mind and body. Break some bamboo boards over his head and stuff. Use your caboose young grasshopper! Wax on, wax off!

P.S. If I owned the Kings I would seriously, ifg McHale decides not to coach next year, immediately put a call into him. The man is an idiot as a front office guy, but there could be no one better to settle Spencer's post game and encourage him to quit being a wuss in there.

I love the bamboo boards over the head stuff. For some reason I conjured up an image of Coachie beating Spence over the head with a bamboo cutting board while Spence was standing on a piling on one foot.

I don't think Spence is a wuss. I think when you mentioned the word patience you nailed it. I think he gets frustrated and loses patience. I don't think he's afraid of contact, I just don't think he knows how to play inside against bigger players. And your right, someone like McHale could show him how to use his skills against bigger opponents. He's still very young, and usually the third or fourth year is the breakout year for bigs. So it will be interesting to watch this year.

 

[bajaden]

I read that Spencer is actually 6'10'' without shoes on draftexpress.

But the difference in KAJ's hook was that he jumped and released at the top of his jump. It was a true "sky" hook. Many players can't develop that shot off of a one foot jump, and usually try a mini half hook.

Not to nic pic, but he was 6'10.50" without shoes. He has a 9'2" standing reach, which is pretty good. The sky hook is almost impossible to block if you get enough arch on it. There was a player that played on my old St. Louis Hawks at the same time Pettit played and is also in the HOF. He was a 6'6" PF named Cliff Hagen. His main weapon was a sky hook. And he shot it with either hand from anywhere. And by anywhere, I mean from 3 feet from the basket to the top of the key. His nick name was Lil Abner, because thats who he looked like. He was a hell of a player though.

 

[SacTownKid]

Didn't Spencer actually talk about adding this weapon to his arsenal not so long ago? I'm pretty sure is was before last season started.

 

[Bricklayer]

Didn't Spencer actually talk about adding this weapon to his arsenal not so long ago? I'm pretty sure is was before last season started.

Sounds vaguely familiar, but then again a number of centers have talked about adding it over the years. Thing is, as I mentioned, it ain't easy to master. And even if you do get good...if you just "add it to the repertoire" and then use it every once in a while...that's not really very significant. What made the shy hook so devastating was the flat out inevitability of it. Game in, game out. Know its coming, can't do anything about it. Whole offenses were built around that shot. Just tossing one in here or there reallywouldn't be that significant. Its got ot be something where that spot on the floor is just yours. And where everybody knows where to find you, and you can just dominate with that shot and cause the defense to have to collapse. That's a lot to ask of aguy jsut taking it up as an extra weapon at age 21. Gotta remember Kareem started using it when he was like 10, and shot thousands of those suckers before he ever even hit the pros.

 

[exGrizzly]

That sky hook was beautiful. I was a Lakers fan first.

 

[mac]

Just wondering what were some of Reef's moves? He was rather decent in the post wasn't he?

 

[ForlornKing]

Just wondering what were some of Reef's moves? He was rather decent in the post wasn't he?

He was more about drop steps and spins out of the post.

 

[Warhawk]

Unfortunately if it was as easy as all that I think a lot of guys would have used it over the years. But I supect Kareem was working on that shot, and that shot alone, from the time he was like 10 or something, and probably taking hundreds of them a day. Lethal weapon and yeah, be great if Spencer had it, but its not one for dilletantes.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/features/kareem

The greatest encouragement for Abdul-Jabbar to keep working on the hook was when he started playing in fifth grade and usually found himself going against kids who were older, just as tall and more physically developed than him.
"It was the only shot I could shoot that didn't get smashed back in my face," Abdul-Jabbar said. "So I learned to rely on it early, and it was always something that I could get off, even in traffic."
As he practiced in the gyms and playgrounds of New York City, he extended his shooting range. The NCAA banned the dunk when Abdul-Jabbar was at UCLA, so he used the hook to set scoring records and win 88 of his 90 collegiate varsity games.

 

[Kingster]

Spencer needs to focus on having one move that he can always go to. He is very talented when it comes to learning different types of shots. I've seen him do a hook shot, a floating jumper, a standing jumper, a jumper off the run, left hand, right hand. He's young enough so that if he started working on it now, I think he could be pretty good with it in a couple of years. As for not being tall enough, he's plenty tall, especially if he put his off arm straight up to prevent the player from getting closer to the ball. If he can develop this shot, all worries about him never being a good low post player would dissapear.

 

[Bricklayer]

Well again, I think Spencer already has every shot he needs to be a good enough post player, but what he lacks is dedication to postplay, toughness, patience, and smarts in there. He's got the shots though.