This Paul George dunk looks eerily familiar, doesn’t it? Almost as if one of the game’s greatest pulled off a similar, though more impressive, dunk years before. Oh, wait a second.
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It’s honestly a little startling how similar these two moments are; not just the dunks, but the circumstances leading up to them as well.
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Both Kobe Bryant and George were the recipients of long, precise outlet passes at almost the exact same spot on the court with a defender right on their tail. In each instance, the defender manages to get in front of them as they collected the pass, but both stars use an advanced move to get away: Kobe opts to go behind the back while George employs a spin move.
The main difference between these two highlights are the dunks themselves. Kobe’s – a reverse he sends down with serious authority – is much flashier and almost looks like a 360. Paul, meanwhile, goes for a two-handed flush. It’s a fine dunk, and he flows into it seamlessly after the spin move, but Kobe takes the crown when it comes to showmanship.
At this point, though, it’s clear which one is more impressive simply from a difficulty standpoint. While it’s not uncommon to see players copy another player’s shot – Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis, for example, have all showed off a fun approximation of Dirk Nowitzki’s one-legged fadeaway – this is an entirely different thing. George’s unconscious move that just so happened to pantomime one of the greatest players ever performing one of their more iconic slams.
That can only mean good things for PG-13’s future in the Association.
(H/T Zach Harper)
