Compiled video collection highlights rare blocks of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar skyhook
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 5, 2026, 10:11 AM
Last updated Sep 5, 2026

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar utilized the skyhook as a primary scoring weapon during his 20-year career. The shot was notoriously difficult to defend due to its high release point and efficiency. While the maneuver was rarely stopped, a new compilation of footage captures several instances where opponents successfully blocked the attempt. Confirmed players featured in the footage include Wilt Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond, Bill Walton, Ralph Sampson, Robert Parish, and Hakeem Olajuwon. One block credited to Bill Willoughby was ruled goaltending, and reports indicate that Julius Erving also recorded a block against the shot, though supporting video for that specific play remains missing. Abdul-Jabbar maintained the weapon throughout his career, evolving from an athletic jump-hook to a perfected technical shot in his later years.
- •Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played for 20 seasons with the skyhook as his primary offensive weapon.
- •Wilt Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond, and Hakeem Olajuwon are among those who blocked the shot.
- •A block by Bill Willoughby was officially ruled as goaltending.
- •The video compilation excludes a reported block by Julius Erving due to a lack of footage.
- 10:11 AMYahoo Sports — YouTube Gold: A Nearly Complete Video Of Blocked Skyhooks
"Blocking Kareem’s Skyhook was one of the most difficult things in basketball.
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