YouTube Gold: A Devastating Block By Mark Williams

Now this is how it’s done.

Shotblocking has been around since the 1950’s when Bill Russell imagined a new way to defend. Before he revolutionized the sport, players were told not to leave their feet on defense.

Russell was a superb shot blocker. Typically he would tip a shot then control it and start a fast break. It was brilliant basketball: take the possession away and score in about five seconds.

In more recent times, shot blocking has gotten really stupid. For some reason, guys have gotten the idea that throwing a shot into the stands is a great play. It’s not. It really should count as a turnover because you’re willfully throwing the ball away.

The guy in recent years who best understood this was Tim Duncan who would tip a shot, a la Russell, and then gain control.

We saw Zion Williamson famously doing it against Kentucky when he plucked a shot out of the air and immediately started a fast break which ended in an easy basket.

Most people still prefer to throw the ball away anyway, though there are exceptions.

Take this play by Brotherhood member Mark Williams, now playing for the Charlotte Hornets.

Trae Young drove on Williams earlier this year and Williams, able to control the ball, simply went up, caught it, and came back down.

Obviously the Hornets kept possession of the ball and got another opportunity to shoot, but that wasn’t the only benefit.

Psychologically this is devastating. It’s emasculating. It’s the single most intimidating play possible in basketball.

Yet it’s almost never done. People can grab the ball firmly enough to launch it with some velocity into the stands, but catching it? Maybe getting a basket out of it?

For some reason that’s not as popular.

It’s as if you intercepted the ball - which is exactly what a block is -and just handed it back to the other team.