Which player in the history of basketball would you choose to take a last second shot if your team is behind by 1 point?

[TopCatCal]

I would want an all time great, as we all would. I would want someone taking the shot that I know would have no chance of getting his shot blocked. The player I would choose would be 7'2" Kareen Abdul-Jabbar with his skyhook.

Who would you choose?

 

[ORCAT]

Larry Bird or Michael Jordan, I could live with either one of those two, they were both extremely clutch under those conditions.

 

[kyjeff1]

Steph Curry

 

[VA/UK]

I’ll weigh in for the old-timers: Jerry West.

 

[RunninRichie]

Kobe or Bird. End of thread.

 

[Gassy_Knowls]

Non-sports. I'd go Peter Dinklage

Sports. Bill Russell

 

[KFuqua]

I would have to go with Jordan.

 

[MWes11]

Just because I want to rewatch this, I'll vote for this fella below...

 

[Jamal Mercer]

Mintz.

This is obviously a joke....sorta. He was actually very clutch last season.

 

[BlueBomb]

This is no fun. Change it up. What KENTUCKY player would you want to take the last shot?

For a jump shot to win the game (assuming he doesn't need to put the ball on the floor to get open): Macy
For a contested jump shot, with apologies to Brandon Knight (who arguably hit the most famous one against OSU): Monk
Takin' it to the hoop: Mash
Feeding the block for a foul: Sky

 

[RunninRichie]

This is no fun. Change it up. What KENTUCKY player would you want to take the last shot?

For a jump shot to win the game (assuming he doesn't need to put the ball on the floor to get open): Macy
For a contested jump shot, with apologies to Brandon Knight (who arguably hit the most famous one against OSU): Monk
Takin' it to the hoop: Mash
Feeding the block for a foul: Sky

Dribbling into a double team-Askew.

 

[dbrice3]

nazr mohammad

 

[Nubb16]

I’ll take Shaq with the dunk shot.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

Assuming you could get the ball into the paint on time for a last second shot -- a necessary assumption to pick Kareem -- then Shaquille O'Neal actually had a much higher career FG percentage -- .582 compared to .559 for Kareem.

But I think that's the problem with picking any center for the last second shot scenario -- someone has to get them the ball in the right spot and that makes the whole process less likely.

I lived in DC in the late 1980s, and I saw Larry Bird in a game against the Washington Bullets in 1987 hit FOUR shots that either tied or won a double-overtime game. I'm going with him (here's a poorly edited Youtube clip from the game...

 

[Titpwhami2014]

Not LeBron.

 

[J_Dee]

Jordan holds the record for buzzer-beaters (seven of his nine were unassisted), so I'll go with Jordan.

Vince Carter holds the record for buzzer-beater threes, so he'd be a good choice too.

Just to note, Cliff Hagan has the NBA record for UK players, with four.

 

[onearmedjesus]

nazr mohammad

Nazr for the win!!!

 

[Big BlueBeard]

Bird

 

[LineSkiCat14]

The big man post up might be the highest percentage shot, but you still need to get them the ball, which probably lowers the effective percentage of that shot going in. Last shot would have to go to Jordan, Bird, and Kobe.

 

[tapemaster8]

I would want an all time great, as we all would. I would want someone taking the shot that I know would have no chance of getting his shot blocked. The player I would choose would be 7'2" Kareen Abdul-Jabbar with his skyhook.

Who would you choose?

Jerry West!

 

[jwphelps]

I would want an all time great, as we all would. I would want someone taking the shot that I know would have no chance of getting his shot blocked. The player I would choose would be 7'2" Kareen Abdul-Jabbar with his skyhook.

Who would you choose?

Going to go unconventional and say Pistol Pete..

 

[Sparky285]

Down 1, Michael Jordan, Down 2, Aaron Harrison, Down 3, Myles Powell, Down 4, prime Mike Tyson, because he can whoop their asses for beating us after he airballs a meaningless 3.

 

[Chuckinden]

Jordan by far. Defenders were not allowed to breath on Jordan.

 

[LASTUKMGR69]

J

Jordan holds the record for buzzer-beaters (seven of his nine were unassisted), so I'll go with Jordan.

Vince Carter holds the record for buzzer-beater threes, so he'd be a good choice too.

Just to note, Cliff Hagan has the NBA record for UK players, with four.

Jodie Meeks

 

[kyboy1998]

Going to go unconventional and say Pistol Pete..

The guy who never won anything at any level? To take the winning shot?

Very unconventional.

 

[bigbluedon]

Jordan by far. Defenders were not allowed to breath on Jordan.

You got that last part right.

 

[MasonCoBlue]

Assuming they are all having a good to better game:

1) Bird 1a) MJ
2) Miller 2a) Curry

All 4 are damn near interchangeable...each have their strengths.

 

[westerncat]

Bird

 

[TheAnonymous13]

Ray Allen would make my list.

 

[UK90]

This guy

 

[Pulaski Cat Fan]

Larry Legend all day.

 

[UK90]

Going to go unconventional and say Pistol Pete..

By “unconventional”, do you mean wrong?

Maravich had no history of hitting big game winners comparable to the other guys mentioned in this thread, and his teams were big losers. Most overrated player ever.

 

[christophero]

Bird or Jordan. Jordan was better for longer, but Bird had a 3 year run in the mid 80's that was just amazing.

 

[Pulaski Cat Fan]

This guy

View embedded media

Exactly

 

[ukfan041]

MJ or Bird. Current player…Dame Dolla.

 

[TheOtherGreatOne]

Wilt Chamberlain, the only unguardable player that ever lived. If he wanted to score, he scored, and no one could could stop him. Late in his career when he was letting his teammates do their thing and wasn't scoring as much, a writer said Wilt couldn't score anymore. The next game Wilt scored 65. No one could guard Wilt when he wanted to score.

 

[jrpross]

nazr mohammad

One of my all time favorite games and finishes.

 

[Blueaz]

Big shot Rob?

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

Larry Bird or Michael Jordan, I could live with either one of those two, they were both extremely clutch under those conditions.

Same...I was trying to decide between the two, but gave up. Give me either. If we've gotta have a 3, give me Larry Joe

 

[UK90]

Wilt Chamberlain, the only unguardable player that ever lived.

Chamberlain had a well-earned reputation for consistently playing worse in his most important games. Yeah, he put on an incredible show in most games, but he faded when it was clutch time in high pressure playoff games ...and he picked up a reputation as a choker back then because of it.

Not the kind of player this thread was meant for.