Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
Ah yes, the NBA trick shot — a staple of creativity, flash and pure audacity.
It comes in many forms, giving players the freedom to put the ball through the net in ways that defy logic. Whether it’s from behind the backboard or with your back completely turned to the rim, somehow players continue to amaze fans each and every day.
It just so happened that during the Los Angeles Lakers’ Monday afternoon practice, Luka Dončić kept his streak of unbelievable trick shots alive when he drilled a full-court heave with ease.
Dončić launched the ball from one end of the court to the other, drawing a small wave of “oohs” and “ahhs” from those in attendance.
You have to see it to believe it.
Luka with the full-court swish pic.twitter.com/TStpj9DDdU
Although the official distance of his shot is unknown, it came strikingly close to the NBA record for the longest in-game make: an 89-foot prayer from Baron Davis on February 21, 2001. In that instance, Davis received the ball on an inbound pass and fired it toward the opposite basket — not unlike Dončić’s attempt.
Only a handful of NBA shots have ever connected from such extreme distances and actually counted. One memorable example that didn’t count came when Jae Crowder attempted a full-court pass from the baseline to the opposite rim. Ninety-four feet later, he banked it in, stunning the Indiana crowd.
Unfortunately for him, the shot didn’t count — he released it from out of bounds.
Dončić has never been one to shy away from a trick shot, having knocked down countless variations throughout his career. Perhaps he’s been preparing for the NBA’s new rule that removes half-court–and-beyond attempts from a player’s individual field-goal percentage, assigning them to the team instead.
Since the rule change, players across the league have been more willing to launch from absurd ranges.
Who knows what “Luka Magic” could pull off next when the clock is winding down?
Joseph Kallan is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. His main specialties include the NBA and MLB, but he has a deep passion for the New York Knicks and New York Yankees. After graduating from Hofstra University in 2024, Joseph worked for the NBA Summer League alongside FanSided for one year. In his free time, he’s a ticket-taker at Yankee Stadium.