Giannis Antetokounmpo Delivers Incredible Football-Style Assist to Klay Thompson

Miami Heat forward Giannis Antetokounmpo flicked the ball backward between his legs like a football long snapper to set up a Klay Thompson 3-pointer during a 137-117 win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday according to NBA.com.

The unusual sequence unfolded about two minutes into the opening quarter at Miami’s arena. Antetokounmpo lunged toward the floor to secure a loose ball as Detroit guards Duncan Robinson and Kevin Huerter converged on the play. Rather than attempting a conventional basketball pass from the floor, the 7-foot forward whipped the ball backward through his own legs toward the perimeter.

“I wanted to make the pass before the ball got deflected,” Antetokounmpo said, as reported by the Bryan Times.

Thompson tracked the entire sequence from the left corner, caught the backward pass, pivoted, and released a shot without taking a dribble. The ball cleared the net as players on the Miami bench stood and cheered. Thompson himself offered a look of disbelief as play transitioned back down the court, ClutchPoints reported.

“It was an incredible snap, long-snapper style,” Thompson said in an on-court interview broadcast in the arena. "It shows Giannis' skill level." People get enamored with his ability to dunk and run, but my goodness … he just knew I was in the corner. Didn’t even see me, and just right through the legs.”

Antetokounmpo said that he maintained spatial awareness of where his teammate was positioned on the floor.

“I knew he was still gonna be there,” Antetokounmpo said, according to the Oskaloosa Herald.

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra admitted the maneuver caught him entirely by surprise from his vantage point near the sideline.

“I usually can see a pass that somebody’s going to make, and I would never have predicted that pass to the corner,” Spoelstra said, Newsday reported. “And then, Klay just has a career of seizing a moment, right? He’s not going to let a moment pass. … He’s going to make sure he knocks down the 3.”

The play marked the first of two high-difficulty assists delivered by Antetokounmpo before halftime. Later in the second quarter, he contributed a no-look, over-the-shoulder pass to Ryan Conwell for another perimeter basket.

“We like it when he brings a little bit of Magic Johnson to the game,” Spoelstra said.

Antetokounmpo finished the night with 34 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists. Thompson added 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting, hitting six 3-pointers in the process. The victory extended Miami’s winning streak to four games, raising their record to 7-6 for the season. The Heat continue their schedule by hosting the Houston Rockets on Monday.

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