The name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is etched into the halls of basketball history. Kareem commanded the floor with his skill, knowledge, and sheer presence while standing at a commanding 7 feet 2 inches tall. His two-decade-long career displayed his unmatched brilliance and steadfast dedication. Today, Abdul-Jabbar is regarded as one of the best basketball players of all-time having made an immeasurable contribution to the game and inspired other athletes.

The Los Angeles Lakers legend is best known for his skyhook shot, a shot that was incredibly challenging to block. Only a 7’1 Hall of Famer has succeeded in his attempt to do so. A clip of the same recently emerged on the internet, leaving NBA fans in awe.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has skyhook blocked by Hall Of Famer

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s skyhook blended skill, finesse, and form to produce a scoring weapon that was resistant to nearly any defense. After the NCAA outlawed dunks during his junior season in 1967–68, Kareem developed this shot as a student at UCLA.  With the skyhook holstered, he guided UCLA to three national championships. He also dominated the NBA, establishing himself as the greatest scorer ever until LeBron overtook the title recently.  You can’t mention Kareem without bringing up his signature skyhook shot. Even he himself believes that the iconic shot can’t be recreated!

However, a 7’1 Hall of Famer challenged his legacy by successfully blocking the shot. Not once, but 3 times in a row, 5 times in a game.

For the opposing teams and players, stopping Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s skyhook shot was a big obstacle. Due to Kareem’s height, length, and the release point of the shot, the skyhook was exceedingly challenging to block. Kareem usually delivered the ball from a point that was 10 to 11 feet above the floor. This made it nearly impossible for the defense to successfully block the shot. However, this didn’t stop the others from trying. Where many failed, Wilt Chamberlain succeeded.

A rare clip of Wilt Chamberlain recently resurfaced on the internet. In the clip, he blocked the Skyhook shot, not once but twice in the same possession! The clip of the iconic skyhook went viral among fans after it resurfaced. Fans had a field day over the rare play.

NBA Fans get nostalgic about the skyhook shot

Securing six titles with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers,  Kareem won six MVP honors throughout his 20-season career and participated in 19 All-Star games. Not only is his resume impossible to match, but his iconic skyhook is also impossible to recreate.

No player has ever succeeded in replicating the skyhook. And no player other than Chamberlain has ever succeeded in blocking it. When the clip went viral, NBA fans took to Instagram to share their thoughts on it.

A fan commented, “He’s a demigod”

Another felt major FOMO for not being able to witness the athletic matchup live.

“I wish I could go back and watch this live”

One fan lent a tremendous analysis of the play, reaching the conclusion that it was good offense meeting better defense.

“What’s insane is wilt isn’t even trying to body up kareem, he is letting him get into position and daring him to skyhook and still blocks him. I wanted to not be impress by wilt in this clip and say jabbar went soft on this play but it looked legit on replay. Supreme athletic display”

However, a few believed that this was goaltending, a violation of basketball rules.

A fan commented, “today it would’ve been goaltending I guess”

Another commented, “Goaltend”

Do you think the ball was on the way down already? Or was this incredibly rare block clean?

Let us know in the comments below!