Science of the Skyhook with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Re-release)

About This Episode

What’s the best shot in basketball? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly break down the physics behind what makes the Skyhook so effective, as well as one of the greatest eras with basketball greats, Jamaal Wilkes, Michael Cooper, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 

How do you stay the all-time scoring leader, 30 years later? Neil and Kareem break down the physics of the shot and what makes it so devastating. How many of Kareem’s career points can be attributed to the Skyhook? We hear anecdotes on the 1980’s Lakers and what they attribute their success to. Was it the laws of physics?

Does practice make perfect? We discuss the role of humility on the team and what it was like to be the best in the game. Why has the skyhook disappeared from today’s basketball? We explore the rise of the 3-point shot and how it has changed present-day basketball. What will the next trend in gameplay be? All that, plus, learn about the only 3-point shot Kareem sank in his entire career. 

Thanks to our Patrons Chris Quinn, Devon Romano, Jack Thurman, Israel Jarvis, Ace Warner, Mallory L Anderson, Putin Ontheriz, Zachary Kleier, and Jose Jaime for supporting us this week.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free.