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NBA: 30 most unguardable moves in league history

By Dylan Carter

INGLEWOOD, CA - JUNE 1982: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #33 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots over Caldwell Jones #11 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1982 NBA basketball Finals at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The lakers won the Championship 4 games to 2. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CA - JUNE 1982: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #33 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots over Caldwell Jones #11 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1982 NBA basketball Finals at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The lakers won the Championship 4 games to 2. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

30 most unguardable moves in NBA history: 1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, sky hook

Of every decision, cut or comparison made in my researching and outlining process, this was the easiest one to make. Without a doubt, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Sky Hook is the single most unguardable move in NBA history and it was engineered to do just that.

There’s a reason why it’s rarely implemented in games and was never mastered by anyone but its creator. The Sky Hook was designed by Kareem for Kareem and was a reliable tool on his journey to becoming the most prolific scorer in NBA history. In a game where the objective is to put a ball through a basket, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did that more times than anyone else.

Don’t take my word for it. In a video posted to the NBA’s YouTube channel, Kareem himself admitted that the Sky Hook was a key to him becoming the league’s greatest scorer.

"“The hook shot isn’t really popular in today’s game because players coming up in today’s game watched Dr. J and Michael Jordan and that’s how they want to play, but not everybody has that kind of skill. If you can effectively deliver with [the sky hook], you can be a consistent player in this league. I got to be the highest scorer in NBA history because I used that shot.”"

At 7-foot-2 with a long reach and a stout frame, Abdul-Jabbar could buy himself a bucket at any point in an NBA game using that Sky Hook. He’d back down in the post, pivot over his shoulder, extend his arm while palming the basketball and drop the ball into the basket as if he were shooting on a Little Tikes basketball hoop.

Just like you would on a jump shot, Kareem followed through on his hook shots and held the iconic pose with his wrist flicked, one leg in the air and another gently elevating off the court floor. It was nearly impossible to guard and even harder to block, earning Kareem’s Sky Hook the No. 1 spot on the list of the greatest NBA moves of all-time.

There are plenty of points that can be disputed throughout this list, but this one is not up for discussion.

Next. The 30 greatest NBA seasons from players 35 or older. dark