Last Updated on: 9th August 2023, 07:29 pm
What Is An Alley Oop In Basketball?
An alley-oop in basketball is defined as an offensive play that involves one player throwing the ball up in the air near the basket and another player jumping to catch the ball in mid-air and score, usually with a dunk or layup.
The term “alley-oop” is derived from the French phrase “allez hop,” which loosely translates to “let’s go” or “off you go”.
The alley-oop combines teamwork, pinpoint passing, timing, and finishing. The alley-oop is potentially effective because it creates high-percentage scoring opportunities and brings excitement to the game for players and fans.
The alley-oop is also used to evade defenders, making it difficult to complete a bounce pass or chest pass. The term “alley-oop” is used exclusively in basketball, and no other term can be used to describe it.
Some Basketball Alley Oop Plays
First Alley Oop In Basketball
The origins of the alley-oop in basketball are somewhat disputed, but it is generally agreed that the modern version of the play was popularized in the 1960s and 1970s.
Some credit Al Tucker and his brother Gerald at Oklahoma Baptist University as the first to use the alley-oop in the mid-60s. Others credit David Thompson as the first player to execute the classic alley-oop play while at North Carolina State University, with his teammates Monte Towe and Tim Stoddard performing the necessary lob passes.
In Bill Walton’s record-setting 44-point, 21-for-22 shooting performance for UCLA in the 1973 NCAA championship game against Memphis State, six of his baskets came on alley-oop plays. The first alley-oop came at a time when dunking was illegal.
Who Invented The Alley Oop In Basketball?
Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, is credited with inventing the alley-oop in 1891, but the modern form of the game is most closely associated with professional basketball teams today.
