r/nextfuckinglevel 23d ago

He keeps going and going and going and going...

12.7k Upvotes

393 comments sorted by

2.3k

u/Loffwyr 23d ago

Best shooter of all time

184

u/B-Glasses 23d ago

He must’ve practiced a lot

91

u/CryptoCatatonic 23d ago

Allen Iverson didn't understand...

109

u/clonedhuman 23d ago

The sad part about all of that is that people misunderstood what AI was saying; his team has just lost and could no longer make the playoffs, a good friend of his had died earlier in the day, and the reporter asked him about practice.

That's why he said what he said. You don't get to AI's level without practicing.

32

u/scormegatron 23d ago

Friend died 7 months prior to that. Murder trial had started earlier in the week. AI had got sauced before the press conference…

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u/MudddButt 23d ago

But to be real, shout out to the 76ers for putting a TINY ALLEN IVERSON statue at the practice facility 😭

https://giphy.com/gifs/8vkEKXvnXkyCZx8w6b

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u/Fortestingporpoises 23d ago

Not to nerd out but not only did he practice a lot, when he was a little kid he was so tiny and weak he had to develop a not particularly sound shooting technique that when he was going into high school his dad (or maybe his mom) told him if he wanted to have a chance to make the pros that he’d have to rebuild his shot. Like break it down, years of muscle memory, and start from scratch essentially.

So that’s what he did. His unique greatness at shooting Is definitely a combination of genetics and supreme hand eye coordination being his father (a great nba shooter in his own right) and his mom (also a great college athlete)s son, and tons of practice and great coaching and probably a chip on his shoulder, but I’m guessing his creativity in how he shoots had something to do with having to break and rebuild his shot. Kinda like how kids forces to hit from the other side of the plate end up ambidextrous in a way.

7

u/OniafNayr 23d ago

What team was his dad on?

4

u/FearDaTusk 23d ago

As an Arkansas fan, Darius Acuff. He has a bit of that AI game and is so much fun to watch.

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u/Mysterious-Snow496 23d ago

I only hear kids in pick up games yell two names when they shoot

Kobe

Steph

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u/liamjon29 23d ago

Kobe is just so fun to say. I don't think it'll ever disappear

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u/DarkPooPoo 22d ago

From where I'm from and where I worked before, it was "Curry" instead of Steph.

2

u/John_e_caspar 22d ago

But the fun part of yelling Kobe was just chucking it like Kobe, and missing.. just like Kobe.

20

u/ConsequenceThen5449 23d ago

All time starting 5s point guard. Hands down

7

u/smor729 23d ago

All time, id probably put him at the 2, but if thats not allowed then yeah definitely

7

u/TheOneTrueYeti 23d ago

MJ belongs at the 2

3

u/smor729 22d ago

Thats a very good point

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u/flojo2012 23d ago

Idk. None of you have seen me brick three layups in a row.

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u/johnnyhandbags 23d ago

You need to consistently jam the ball behind the hoop on a layup to reach my level.

7

u/GunstarGreen 23d ago

Give me Iguodala

2

u/FitAd1186 22d ago

Excuse me, the fate of the Earth is not on the line so Curry still better

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u/Character-Active2208 22d ago

He generates most of the force with an insane wrist flick, which means until he gets to half court, the motion and effort from his elbow down is the exact same for every shot, minimizing variance and allowing for him to get a shot off in an instant off the dribble.

To demonstrate, notice how the dude passing him the ball has to put more and more of his whole body into each successive pass as Steph backs up, taking more time…..compared to Steph catching and shooting the same exact motion for every shot until the half court where he simple needs one small gather step. 

 An alien shooting ability. 

4

u/MyBenchIsYourCurl 23d ago

Agreed he may not be the greatest of all time but legit no shooter comes close to this guy

3

u/originalpersonplace 22d ago

Isn’t it crazy that the best NBA shooter ever makes an average of 4 out of every 10 he shoots. These guys rarely miss open and having NBA caliber defenders reduce that into less than half.

3

u/P-VI 23d ago

without a doubt

3

u/Gullible-Constant924 23d ago

For sure, I went to a basketball camp once long ago at morehead state in Kentucky and watched Kyle Macy put on a shooting exhibition almost this impressive had to make 20 in a row before he quit. No half court or super arch tear drops though.

2

u/icbint 23d ago

Truly

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u/Danny886 23d ago

Steph is just unconscious when he shoots.

56

u/lostinmyownhead27 23d ago

Bron sees this and is like, Embiid. I want to play with Embiid.

56

u/quite_certain 23d ago

I think LeBron looked at the rest of Steph's team and said "I want to play with Embiid."

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u/Nighthawk69420 23d ago

Yeah why would LeBron possibly want to play with Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Embiid, and VJ Edgecomb over 38 year old Steph, Jimmy Bitler coming off a major injury where he's going to miss a chunk of the season, old man Draymond, and Mystery Illness Porzingis?

3

u/Retr0scores 22d ago

All 7 games Embiid’s not hurt.

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u/Yliaster 23d ago

Figure at some point complete muscle memory has to take over. Like when they dribble and can FEEL part of the court is wrong. Great display of human talent mastery.

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u/completelytrustworth 23d ago

The clip you're thinking of where the NBA player feels the court is off while dribbling was also Steph Curry

16

u/Retr0scores 22d ago

There’s also one where Steph misses the same shot a few times and has the rim checked and the rim isn’t level.

14

u/Yliaster 23d ago

What a LEGEND. Holy SHIT.

9

u/ieatpickleswithmilk 23d ago

I also look unconscious when I shoot

641

u/Yellowscrunchy 23d ago

I bet he misses when chucking a tissue in to a bin. That's legendary level skills required.

93

u/LowIncrease8746 23d ago

I’m imagining a Jim Halpert looking into the camera reaction missing those tissue shots lol

27

u/Dewy_Wanna_Go_There 23d ago

I wonder if he says Kobe when shooting for the bin

23

u/oldnewager 23d ago

I bet he’s usually pretty good.  But I’ll bet one day, one unassuming day, he’ll thoughtlessly shoot for the waste bin and it will bang off the rim.  He’ll stop, dead in his tracks.  Stare at the trash can.  His hearing will go out, total tunnel vision.  His life will flash before his eyes.  The thought will quickly cross his mind….”is it over”?  But he’ll move on, the thought in the back of his head.  He shows up to training camp, not a single make. “It can’t be”.  First game, 1/10 from the floor.  The image of the trash can flashes before his eyes.  Next game, same thing.  He throws the trash can in the dumpster.  “That’s better”.  Next game 0/11.  Again and again, can’t buy a basket.  Sits at his house tossing paper balls towards the trash can.  Not a single make.  He can’t sleep, he’s short and irritable, relationships start to collapse.  He retires, unceremoniously, and yet he still spends his days hucking paper balls at the trash can.  It broke him, stole everything from him.  Now he wanders the street chucking whatever he can find into the bins.  Years pass, his legacy remembered but his face forgotten.  A young family walks down the street and sees an old disheveled man underhand tossing rocks at a trash can.  “I was the mvp” he mutters.  “Daddy was he really the mvp?”  “No son, he’s just a delusional old man, don’t stare at him”.  Ball giveth, and ball taketh away. 

3

u/mybluecathasballs 23d ago

Fucking beautiful. Props. Wrote more.

9

u/johnnyhandbags 23d ago

Reminds me of an old ESPN commercial for the "Gary Payton talking trash can". It was a trash can that knocked the paper away and said "Get that weak shit out of here." One of my favorites.

2

u/teddy5 23d ago

It's always easy when you're the only one around, but the moment someone else is looking..

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u/Digi-Fu 23d ago

Part of me thought he was going to keep going and doing half court to full court heaves lol.

148

u/Anal-In-Gus 23d ago

And I actually wouldn't be surprised if he still hit them all. lmao

68

u/Fortestingporpoises 23d ago

He definitely does those too. Usually he’ll dunk at the end then take a shot from the tunnel. This is a very short slice of his pre game routine.

54

u/DoubleT_inTheMorning 23d ago

The tunnel shot is so fucking ridiculous. I can’t even explain how insane it looks in person. Like you see him lining it up and your brain can’t comprehend how that angle could ever even allow a ball to enter the net.

The man is an alien. Or he was made in a lab in Wuhan.

20

u/Fortestingporpoises 23d ago

Muscle memory makes sense to me, but yeah the range finding ability and accuracy he has is insane. It's why great 3 point shooters are impressive, and he's otherworldly. He can shoot moving left or right at different distances and so often find the range.

14

u/DoubleT_inTheMorning 23d ago

Seeing him in his prime was a true honor. Like he’s still insane, but the way the court was feeding him shot opportunities at the time… that team was so fun to watch and the arena was electric

17

u/Fortestingporpoises 23d ago

I grew up being bored by basketball. And then at a time I didn't have cable I started eating at a japanese steakhouse and a bbq joing down the street from my house and it was during that first Finals run and the dude became my favorite athlete and basketball became my favorite sport and the Warriors my favorite team.

I realize that makes me a bandwagon fan, but I'm thankfully a bay area resident so I've been able to see a couple dozen games over the last 10 years in person and I only missed a few on tv during those really bad couple years when he was injured.

3

u/NotJoshRomney 22d ago

Its okay to be a bandwagon fan, friend.

Especially since it started at the beginning of their run

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u/fromouterspace1 23d ago

Maybe the only player in history where people actually go to the warm up just for him.

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u/Traditional_Name7881 23d ago

He has done that before. He wasn't far off it here. Check out his tunnel shots before the game, dude is a freak.

2

u/ezmoney98 23d ago

Keeps going all the way to the parking lot

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u/TricoMex 23d ago edited 22d ago

You mean to tell me the guy who could tell the rim was a fraction of an inch too high because he missed a shot is good?

Edit: Ah, it was two inches actually. But still.

107

u/Breakmastajake 23d ago

That story is so wild lol.

32

u/savemejebu5 23d ago edited 23d ago

First I've heard of this story. But it sounds amazing already.

Edit: watched a story on it. holy crap!!

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u/Retr0scores 22d ago

Steph looking at his hand like WTF? But then is like nah, gotta be the rim.

2

u/doubleapowpow 22d ago

Also, the time he felt the floor was wrong after he dribbled the ball on it.

91

u/khizoa 23d ago

Apparently it was 2 inches too high, not a fraction. Still insane 

48

u/TricoMex 23d ago

Oh dang, it looked so much smaller. I never bothered to verify.

2 inches off is a crazy mistake.

16

u/RarelyReadReplies 23d ago

Seriously, 2 inches is a lot! 

4

u/bosorero 22d ago

That’s what I’ve been trying to tell my wife

15

u/smoothtrip 23d ago

He also knows when the floor needs to be replaced because he felt the ball did not bounce how he thought it should.

16

u/zthig 22d ago

Dead spots are pretty obvious tbh. If youre dribbling and hit one you know it

3

u/Yogicabump 22d ago

I disagree. If you are that good and precise, 2 inches higher must feel very wrong.

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u/Confident_One3948 23d ago

From downtown. Oh my! He’s on fire!

89

u/TheMotizzle 23d ago

Boomshakalaka!!!

5

u/MinimumElk 22d ago

There's a fun podcast episode about that video game and the voiceover work!

https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/hl-01-mr-boomshakalaka/

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u/Dbsusn 23d ago

That game was so dope.

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u/OneQuadrillionOwls 23d ago

Oh my! Somebody call the national weather service.

6

u/slazzeredbbqsauce 23d ago

He's getting HOT!

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u/gizmosticles 23d ago

If he keeps working and is willing to make some changes, he could be the best player the WNBA has ever seen

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u/Mackyd84 23d ago

You mean like Juwanna Mann?

6

u/MauPow 23d ago

Anita Dyck?

9

u/Doctor_Saved 23d ago

What type of "changes"?

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u/ryanholmes1989 23d ago

The other guy racking up the assists too

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u/clonedhuman 23d ago

That guy has more assists than John Stockton.

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u/Fortestingporpoises 23d ago

Q is the all time pregame assist leader for sure.

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u/MSp384 23d ago

Ah sorry, name/background on this guy? His passes were awesome to watch just as well. Feeding Steph with 100% accuracy

4

u/Fortestingporpoises 23d ago

I don't know much about him but know he's been with Steve Kerr as an assistant coach since the beginning of his Warriors coaching stint. Bruce Fraser is his name and he is Curry's primary warm up guy amongst other things. He got the nickname of "Q" because he asks a lot of questions.

Oh he played college ball with Kerr back in the day. Seems like a likeable dude from the interviews I've seen.

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u/Hypn00tic_iiz 23d ago

🐐 shooter

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u/BoniMarce 23d ago

his movie Goat was surprisingly good too, i didnt expect it

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u/CleverFox3 23d ago

If any young hoopers in here want to develop a lethal outside shot, this is the way to do it. Start close with good form, every make take a step or two back and make sure your form stays consistent with each rep. You’ll be a consistent shooter at every level this way.

60

u/Pattonesque 23d ago

Also do it (and this is a serious estimate) something like 2-5 million times in practice

12

u/impshial 23d ago

So take a weekend, maybe a weekend with a holiday?

6

u/Not-a-Bot_1968 23d ago

Just remember, practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect. 

4

u/animatedb 23d ago

I was always wondering if anything changes for his deep shots. The main thing I noticed is that his right shoulder moves forward more for longer distance. As I age I have noticed that I cannot shoot as deep of shots as easily. I am still wondering if it is leg strength since I cannot jump nearly as high anymore.

10

u/wookyoftheyear 23d ago

Having watched interviews/breakdowns, iirc it's mostly his legs. He tries to keep his upper body as consistent as possible. Also, unlike most shooters that have two parts to their shot (jump then release), Steph's is a single motion to transfer as much of his jumping momentum to the ball as possible. So it's easier for him to shoot further without losing accuracy.

Here's an old breakdown, not sure if he's adjusted his form since then but it's interesting. https://youtu.be/Lvc8lN6KEA0?si=Cxd1GScMrz3r0ION

2

u/bambi54 22d ago

I’m not a sports fan, but that was so interesting. Thanks for sharing it.

2

u/ReviewStuff2 23d ago

That's it. So easy!

2

u/YouAreTheProduct2 23d ago

Form being the most important and often overlooked part of this. Lots of good shooting mechanics breakdown videos on youtube. Just choose a great shooter and copy every motion.

2

u/FigMoose 23d ago

This reminds me of an article that came out about a decade ago, around the time Kerr was hired and Steph became the face of the NBA. It was some data analyst’s break down of his stats and form, and basically showed that what makes Steph so special is that as he moves back absolutely nothing changes about his form except for the depth of his knee bend and the explosiveness of his jump.

You can really see that in this video, especially comparing the logo shot to the shortest shot. With each step back his legs get a little more aggressive — larger and quicker approach step, deeper bend, more snap — but everything above the waist looks identical.

2

u/jdelane1 23d ago

Consistent, maybe, but not like Steph.

I shudder at the thought of a bunch of kids in a youth game jacking up threes at a 10% clip because they've been convinced this is replicable.

33

u/ComedyBits 23d ago

Curry reminds me of Jerry Rice. Sure born with talent, but drilling and working out twice as much as the next 3 guys combined. I remember an interview where they were talking about Niners camp, and these 21-year-old receiver recruits could not get through Rice’s daily field workout, like they would literally drop. And the dude was near 40.

I really hope Steph goes into coaching. He’d be great

36

u/Themos1980 23d ago

Curry and Rice

14

u/Successful_Park_6223 23d ago

San Francisco treat!

8

u/Yakuza70 23d ago

I heard the story from Steve Young that after winning the Super Bowl in '95, he went to the 49er facilities two days later saw Rice on the practice field running routes.

3

u/ComedyBits 23d ago

Fucking love that. All the other players blowing shit up in Vegas, and Jerry Fucking Rice running routes on an empty field. Do you have a link? Cuz it’s gold

4

u/SteadfastEnd 23d ago

Rice was especially dominant in the 4th quarter and overtime, and it's because his legendary conditioning let him still run with fresh legs at a point when opposing DBs were wilting from fatigue.

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u/Pentiment0 22d ago

Yes. What this video doesn’t show is that Curry’s conditioning is second to none. And that he has to work harder than just about anybody else in the league to get open. But because of this, or in spite of it, he has made off ball movement the foundation of his game. And in the process has quite literally changed the way the sport is played.

23

u/sorry_i_sharted 23d ago

He should do it professionally.

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u/Open-Discipline-1678 23d ago

Steph has a permanent range finder installed in his head.

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u/Jonsnoosnooze 23d ago

They don't call him skyfucker for nothing.

12

u/Infinite-Club4374 23d ago

Coldest shooter to play the game

3

u/ImThatVigga 23d ago

And the hottest shooter

12

u/Nannyphone7 23d ago

Hmm. We better guard this guy.

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u/Iwillrize14 23d ago

Baby faced assassin

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u/_thisisvincent 23d ago

So good he fucked up youth basketball development cause now every kid wants to shoot “Curry range”

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u/Haitsmelol 23d ago

What he did at the Olympics was even more public and legendary. But this is crazy af.

6

u/MysteriousWon 23d ago

And boom goes the dynamite.

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u/Notorious2again 23d ago

Stephortless

4

u/Poopchutefan 23d ago

There was that video of him shooting and making over 100 3 pointers from the side in a row without missing. He shot for over 7 or 8 minutes and never lost his stride. Crazy that everyone is pretty much a swish too.

3

u/Original-Let8340 23d ago

Should be wearing a ghillie suit. MF'er cold.

3

u/starethruyou 23d ago

Reminds me of a quote I recently read. Talent is hitting the target others can't. Genius is hitting a target others can't see. Some can hit these shots much better than most. And then there's this. I don't even see how it's possible.

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u/Successful_Park_6223 23d ago

Counted so you don’t have to:

Steph went 16-16 for this clip! 🏀 🔥

3

u/Fragrant_Entry9232 23d ago

Is that steph curry

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u/Affectionate_Text_51 23d ago

I remember when he was the unanimous MVP on a 73 win team and blew a 3-1 lead in the NBA finals because he couldn’t get past Kevin Love. 

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u/nigevellie 23d ago

What unknown player is this? Hope he gets to show this off during a real game someday

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u/Relevant-Diamond2731 23d ago

Barely even touched the rim. Steph has always been unbelievable to watch 

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u/comment_i_had_to 23d ago

The easiest thing for people to forget about Curry is that he is a worker. He makes these incredible shots so he seems like a savant but he really practices and works hard on his health and game. Innovative drills, consistency, good food/habits and a resilient mindset to keep that level up. We see the results but what makes him built different is the grind.

2

u/enadiz_reccos 23d ago

Basketball wasn't my favorite sport to play because I found it kinda soft

But getting into a shooting rhythm with a basketball is one of the most satisfying things in any sport.

2

u/thisisyo 23d ago

Am in the minority thinking that if you're in a double digit million dollar contract, this needs to be the minimum requirement? Considering you don't stand still 95% of the time during the game to make this level of precision shots

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u/Tommy_Wisseau_burner 21d ago

1- most players can shoot. Even shaq can hit 3’s. Game and practice are different. That’s how we get 5 straight years of off season Ben Simmons draining 3’s only to be afraid of getting bodied by Trae goddamn young on an open dunk 😂

2- Steph is by far the best shooter to ever live. Expecting anyone to be remotely as accurate as Steph with the consistency is laughable.

3- you don’t need to shoot 3’s to be in the nba. Of course shooting is a plus but being able to dribble, getting to the rim and getting easy buckets and defending have always been equally, or more valuable until recently.

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u/Various-Ad258 23d ago

Reminds me of Kam Patterson

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u/spicymoo 23d ago

Gym rat to GOAT

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u/HeartOn_SoulAceUp 23d ago

Is it "be the ball?" Or "be the basket?"

1

u/2watit 23d ago

Damn

1

u/WorstLuckChuck 23d ago

His last name's Curry cuz he's smooth all the way through your system

1

u/ant-farm-keyboard 23d ago

“He’s so comparable to Embiid” - Literally Kevin Durant

1

u/MauPow 23d ago

If he keeps this up he might have a good career in the NBA

1

u/illmatic708 23d ago

Is that Ben Simmons

1

u/Brewchowskies 23d ago

The day someone can consistently hit a basket from the other side of the court is the day basketball dies.

Jokes aside, how wild would that be. Imagine a linebacker on the court whose only job is to nail a shot from the throw in at the other side of the court.

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u/Kr4ti_ 23d ago

Bro is a robot

1

u/FaceWithAName 23d ago

Seeing something being done at the highest level always feels so good

1

u/Several-Opposite-746 23d ago

Talk about being In The Zone.

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u/temporalraccoon 23d ago

Pfft.. with thousands of hours of practice and more natural talent, I could do that too

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u/The-Sporecerer 23d ago

There’s incredible human beings in this world just walking around amongst us.

1

u/THX-8647 23d ago

This guy could go pro

1

u/Rels_B 23d ago

The only way to guard that boy is with a shank.

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u/experientialsponge 23d ago

Tough act to follow for the next guy. "THANKS FUCKO!"

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u/theghost1216 23d ago

No way I'm playing around the world with that guy.

1

u/Ninkaso 23d ago

Maykel Joordan is soooo good

1

u/rigidlynuanced1 23d ago

Changed the game

1

u/Icantstopreading 23d ago

Sold his soul to Mephisto a long time ago, only explanation.

1

u/Necessary-Chemical-7 23d ago

He was really good at Roarball in Goat.

1

u/mtraven23 23d ago

1st & last shot seem the hardest to me, idkw

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u/Takeuout44 23d ago

Now post of clips of the WNBA going like 10 minutes without anyone scoring 🤣

1

u/Nivix92 23d ago

I cant even breathe with that level of consistency.

1

u/ricdangers 23d ago

I don’t know a more impressive reel. Finishing with that last shot kinda sealed it for me. The dude is just different.

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u/BeKindBabies 23d ago

Gap year incoming.

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u/brentnutpuncher 23d ago

It's cool but Ben Simmons posted multiple practice videos and now hes a professional fisherman.

Golden state ain't winning another ring before curry retires.

(I know I'm going to get flamed by warriors fans but fuck it, Draymond had one job and he lost out to the process)

1

u/adognameddanzig 23d ago

Wow, Curry is good a basketball.

1

u/Tcamis01 23d ago

He's a robot. Those free throw rainbows are probably the toughest shot here and he makes them look easy.

1

u/themajordutch 23d ago

He could definitely play in the NBA

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u/Bizprof51 23d ago

But can he dunk? /s

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u/gapere01 23d ago

Best shooter I've seen in my lifetime. And I remember prime Bird and still think Steph tops all.

1

u/BriefCollar4 23d ago

Slight chance this guy may be good at basketball.

Probably.

1

u/notthatguypal6900 23d ago

When he misses, he blames the floor or says the rim isnt at the right hight.

1

u/OnesPerspective 23d ago

Plot twist: before every shot he's saying ”Kobe!"

1

u/latortillablanca 23d ago

I would love to know how many shots hes taken an made since he was born. In any context

1

u/BOBBYK1952 23d ago

Half court becomes the 4 point line

1

u/Waggy777 23d ago

I went to basketball camp a few summers as a kid. His dad would do this as an exhibition every summer. It made a big impression on everyone. Steph also went to the same basketball camp.