Im Still Ballin
05-27-2023, 09:05 AM
Here are some interesting posts on the topic.
70sFan tracked 33 games from 1971 to 1979. The average skyhook came from 9 feet and scored at a 52.9% FG rate. This included a five-game sample against Wilt, who held Kareem to 29% FG on skyhooks. The skyhook efficiency goes up to 56% FG without those games.
LamarMatic also tracked the 1983 LA playoff run and found Kareem shot 51.4% (166 of 323) on skyhooks.
It's all down there. Impressive numbers considering he was taking these shots 9 feet from the basket and could get it off over anyone.
I tracked 33 1971-79 Kareem games and here are the skyhook stats from this sample:
10.7 ppg, 8.8 FGA, 1.9 FTA on 52.9 FG% and 55,4 TS%
Some observations:
- almost 95% of Kareem skyhook attempts were right handed, but he was highly efficient with his left hand (finishing them at ridiculous 73% rate),
- my sampled games underrate Kareem's efficiency compared to his RS averages (53.7 FG% and 57.1 TS% compared to 55.5 FG% and 58.6 TS%)
- 5 out of 33 games I tracked were against Wilt Chamberlain who did a great job at shutting down skyhooks (Kareem made only 29% of his skyhooks against Wilt in my sample),
- Kareem became more reliant on skyhook during his Lakers career, but his hookshot also became more efficient. In 20 Lakers games I tracked, Jabbar made skyhooks on 56.7 FG% rate.
I think my numbers aren't far from the reality. I can see him being around 53-54% in his absolute prime on those shots. Possible peak around 56% in the second part of the 1970s.
1971-79 Kareem (33 games):
10.7 ppg, 8.8 FGA, 1.9 FTA on 52.9 FG% and 55.4 TS%
1993-94 Hakeem (35 games):
3.9 ppg, 3.2 FGA, 0.9 FTA on 50.5 FG% and 54.8 TS%
2000-01 Shaq (33 games):
5.5 ppg, 5.0 FGA, 0.9 FTA on 48.0% and 48.4 TS%
1979-83 Moses (38 games):
0.9 ppg, 0.9 FGA, 0.2 FTA on 41.9 FG% and 48.7 TS%
Kareem's volume and efficiency is unmatched by any of these three. Moses rarely used jumphook, he preferred using fadeaways and powerful drop steps instead.
Overall or on skyhook attempts?
Overall, Kareem averaged 30.9 ppg on 60.1 TS% and 56.5 FG% in 27 games without ones against the Lakers.
His skyhook efficiency was at 56 FG% without these 5 games vs Wilt.
Here's footage of every skyhook Kareem took during the 1983 playoffs, he shot 51.4% (166 of 323) on them which is very close to your numbers. To answer the OP's question, yes, his skyhook would still be very valuable today - a 52% shot in the halfcourt is still very good offense, and Kareem could get it off over anybody in the league. Entry passes can be a bottleneck for post offense, but Kareem was really easy to throw them to given his size/length and mobility.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s5R6UxxR8Q
Average skyhook attempt from my sample came from 9 feet.
34% of skyhook attempts came from 10+feet and Kareem made them at 44.4% rate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPcniUfKRlU
70sFan tracked 33 games from 1971 to 1979. The average skyhook came from 9 feet and scored at a 52.9% FG rate. This included a five-game sample against Wilt, who held Kareem to 29% FG on skyhooks. The skyhook efficiency goes up to 56% FG without those games.
LamarMatic also tracked the 1983 LA playoff run and found Kareem shot 51.4% (166 of 323) on skyhooks.
It's all down there. Impressive numbers considering he was taking these shots 9 feet from the basket and could get it off over anyone.
I tracked 33 1971-79 Kareem games and here are the skyhook stats from this sample:
10.7 ppg, 8.8 FGA, 1.9 FTA on 52.9 FG% and 55,4 TS%
Some observations:
- almost 95% of Kareem skyhook attempts were right handed, but he was highly efficient with his left hand (finishing them at ridiculous 73% rate),
- my sampled games underrate Kareem's efficiency compared to his RS averages (53.7 FG% and 57.1 TS% compared to 55.5 FG% and 58.6 TS%)
- 5 out of 33 games I tracked were against Wilt Chamberlain who did a great job at shutting down skyhooks (Kareem made only 29% of his skyhooks against Wilt in my sample),
- Kareem became more reliant on skyhook during his Lakers career, but his hookshot also became more efficient. In 20 Lakers games I tracked, Jabbar made skyhooks on 56.7 FG% rate.
I think my numbers aren't far from the reality. I can see him being around 53-54% in his absolute prime on those shots. Possible peak around 56% in the second part of the 1970s.
1971-79 Kareem (33 games):
10.7 ppg, 8.8 FGA, 1.9 FTA on 52.9 FG% and 55.4 TS%
1993-94 Hakeem (35 games):
3.9 ppg, 3.2 FGA, 0.9 FTA on 50.5 FG% and 54.8 TS%
2000-01 Shaq (33 games):
5.5 ppg, 5.0 FGA, 0.9 FTA on 48.0% and 48.4 TS%
1979-83 Moses (38 games):
0.9 ppg, 0.9 FGA, 0.2 FTA on 41.9 FG% and 48.7 TS%
Kareem's volume and efficiency is unmatched by any of these three. Moses rarely used jumphook, he preferred using fadeaways and powerful drop steps instead.
Overall or on skyhook attempts?
Overall, Kareem averaged 30.9 ppg on 60.1 TS% and 56.5 FG% in 27 games without ones against the Lakers.
His skyhook efficiency was at 56 FG% without these 5 games vs Wilt.
Here's footage of every skyhook Kareem took during the 1983 playoffs, he shot 51.4% (166 of 323) on them which is very close to your numbers. To answer the OP's question, yes, his skyhook would still be very valuable today - a 52% shot in the halfcourt is still very good offense, and Kareem could get it off over anybody in the league. Entry passes can be a bottleneck for post offense, but Kareem was really easy to throw them to given his size/length and mobility.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s5R6UxxR8Q
Average skyhook attempt from my sample came from 9 feet.
34% of skyhook attempts came from 10+feet and Kareem made them at 44.4% rate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPcniUfKRlU