Deadspin on Simpson's Hookshot
The post includes a few great videos of hooks from this year.
Zavier Simpson is about 14 inches shorter than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and yet he demands a comparison with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. I fricken love this sport.
https://deadspin.com/zavier-simpsons-skyhook-is-one-of-the-seven-wonders-of-1832181963
January 30th, 2019 at 9:19 AM ^
"Little brother shot"
January 30th, 2019 at 9:37 AM ^
"Little brother shot"
The author, Lauren Theisen, is a recent Michigan graduate. She knows what she did there.
January 30th, 2019 at 12:04 PM ^
That makes it even better
January 30th, 2019 at 9:23 AM ^
Poetry in motion...great post thanks Van
January 30th, 2019 at 10:18 AM ^
Poetry in motion seems like such a cliche but then I catch myself watching the crossover hook 20 times in a row.
January 30th, 2019 at 9:34 AM ^
Clearly one of the coolest, in-your-face shots in basketball.
January 30th, 2019 at 10:07 AM ^
Well, actually, it's "over your face, and head, and outstretched arms." It's designed to avoid any "in your face" confrontations in the paint. A guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do.
January 30th, 2019 at 3:03 PM ^
All shots are “over your face, and head and outstretched arms”. But the attitude of the shot is, “hey goof ball, try what you want, you may be all over me in size and position, but there isn’t squat you can do about this, so bugger off, I just dropped two on you”. IMHO that’s pretty much In Your Face.
January 30th, 2019 at 9:41 AM ^
Per Dan Dakitch, they "all go in". That is an awesome illusion.
Seriously, the Z's hook is spectacular. The fact that he and UM coaches developed it shows creativity.
Love Z and this team. Go Blue!
January 30th, 2019 at 11:07 AM ^
I seriously can only recall one miss the entire season.
January 30th, 2019 at 11:19 AM ^
Umm, he missed a couple last night. Still a VERY cool shot, though.
January 30th, 2019 at 2:50 PM ^
I'm not sure the coaches had much to do with developing that shot. I think Z and his dad worked on it this summer and Simpson showed up with it when practice started. Credit to Beilein for going with it. So damn many coaches act like if they didn't have the idea then the idea is no good.
January 30th, 2019 at 4:50 PM ^
Beilein seems to be good in that sense. If you can prove to him something works, he rolls with it. Whether it's this hook shot, Yaklich's defense, or Zak Irvin's wonky shooting motion. Ok maybe the last one wasn't a good example.
January 31st, 2019 at 1:32 AM ^
Last year when X was making weird sweeping layups all over the place he said Beilein had him practicing his finishes at all angles, 12 o'clock, 9, 6...I think the hook shot is an evolution of that.
January 30th, 2019 at 9:55 AM ^
I am guessing kids all over the country are learning to perfect this shot. It’s different than KAJ in that KAJ was a post move while Z is attacking off the dribble.
I am guessing we may see some pros try to learn this shot and add it to their game. It’s a weapon.
January 30th, 2019 at 10:00 AM ^
I'm guessing jump shot challenged PGs would be smart to work on this if they can get their coaches to buy in.
I'm guessing they need to work on it away from practice and prove to coaches that they can make it.
January 30th, 2019 at 12:46 PM ^
Kareem could hit that hook going either right or left. That's the thing Z needs to work on this summer - hitting it while driving left. If he went both ways with that, he'd be an NBA guard that can viably threaten the paint - so he could occupy a defender all over the floor without needing to shoot from half-court.
January 30th, 2019 at 1:48 PM ^
I don't see him hitting it with his left hand. He can't make a left handed layup. When he drives to his left, he always lays it in with his right hand. That was a no no back when I played HS ball in the 80's.
January 30th, 2019 at 4:52 PM ^
Noticed the same about his left hand. You couldn't make varsity in our Hs if you couldn't make left handed layups.
January 31st, 2019 at 1:33 AM ^
X said he practices it with both hands but I don't think he has attempted one in game.
January 30th, 2019 at 9:57 AM ^
The Z Hook
January 30th, 2019 at 10:04 AM ^
Deadly hookah.....
January 30th, 2019 at 11:14 AM ^
What is the name of Craig James Night at the Rendez-Vous, Alex?
January 30th, 2019 at 10:08 AM ^
Dan Dakich, who I think is the best analyst in the business right now, called Simpson the best hooker in the game. Great quote. LOL
January 30th, 2019 at 10:16 AM ^
He actually mentioned it a few games ago which caused his color guy to stop. I dont think Dakich knew what he was saying the first time.
Dakich repeated the line last night, knowing EXACTLY what he was saying.
January 30th, 2019 at 10:19 AM ^
Be careful...Hugh Freeze might be calling.
January 30th, 2019 at 12:21 PM ^
Don't forget Craig James
January 30th, 2019 at 10:36 AM ^
I thought he called Kareem the best hooker.
January 30th, 2019 at 11:10 AM ^
Zavier's hooker killed 5 Bucknuts at Crisler Center
January 30th, 2019 at 12:47 PM ^
ZHK5B
January 30th, 2019 at 10:12 AM ^
At Michigan it's called a BOBA
January 30th, 2019 at 10:28 AM ^
I still don't get why teams even guard him though. He should never be able to have a positive impact in pick n roll because whoever is guarding Simpson should just go under the screen super deep into the paint and dare him to shoot or make him pull up from around the free throw line.
January 30th, 2019 at 11:22 AM ^
Yeah, I thought the same thing. Sagging off won't necessarily keep him out of the paint, but it gives you a better chance
January 30th, 2019 at 12:41 PM ^
But if you sag that far off then that will leave other passing lanes open and keep from you closing out on anyone shooting a 3.
January 30th, 2019 at 4:54 PM ^
That's pretty much what Northwestern did IIRC, and it's also why Beilein gave Z the green light to shoot 3s, even though he's not making them consistently. Teams are going to try this and if he can make them pay even 25% of the time that might be a deterrent.
January 31st, 2019 at 1:35 AM ^
He, like everyone else, is encouraged to shoot any open 3. If they sag off him 15 feet then it's a set practice shot and even Z should be making that at an efficient clip.
January 30th, 2019 at 10:33 AM ^
Now he just needs to shoot his free throws underhanded, granny style and he'll be my favorite player ever.
January 30th, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
Just bring in Rick Berry as a temp consultant so he can learn from the originator.
January 30th, 2019 at 12:07 PM ^
Nah... they should bring in Freddy “ReRun” Berry to perfect some dance moves...
January 30th, 2019 at 12:11 PM ^
Simpson's shot is the thing that some old dude down at the Y does to you over and over and over again and drives you crazy, because he hits it like 80% of the time and you can't stop him, yet the guy looks like he can't run 50 feet without collapsing.
The difference is, unlike that old guy at the Y, Simpson can actually get into position to shoot it pretty much any time he wants to. It's really a brilliant weapon for an undersized player. I don't know how anyone can block it without fouling him.
January 30th, 2019 at 12:51 PM ^
Fouling that hook shot seems like a good idea, since he's not very good at the line. However, fouling that hook shot looks awfully similar to a rough intentional foul. There is no way to get close to that shot without going full-on through Simpson while he's in the air...
I wonder if any ref would call that mid-way through the first half?
January 30th, 2019 at 12:59 PM ^
LMAO, yes!
January 30th, 2019 at 1:53 PM ^
And you know that guy at the Y hitting the hook shot is wearing a headband and possibly glasses with a strap holding them on.
January 30th, 2019 at 4:54 PM ^
Rec specs.
LIkely knee pads and elbow pads too.
January 30th, 2019 at 12:39 PM ^
IDK about you all, but I heard he actually practices that shot! Can anyone please confirm.
/s
January 30th, 2019 at 12:51 PM ^
If you think about it, it's surprising that more small guards haven't thought to develop a hook. You need to be able to get your shot off in traffic and you're at a height disadvantage, why not?
January 30th, 2019 at 12:51 PM ^
It's interesting watching the videos how differently Zavier and Kareem shoot the hook. Kareem's is almost entirely wrist and fingers, Zavier is pretty much his whole body.
January 30th, 2019 at 12:54 PM ^
I can see this winning a tournament game for us in the future, ala Tyus Edney.
January 30th, 2019 at 1:35 PM ^
Too Soon!