ESPN analyst Mike Greenberg laid out his five best shots in basketball history on Monday, and he put Christian Laettner’s iconic buzzer-beater against Kentucky in the 1992 Elite Eight at No. 3.
No Duke basketball fan needs more context about the biggest shot in school history, but who doesn’t love a trip down memory lane? The Blue Devils, defending national champions, trailed the Wildcats by a point in the closing seconds. Grant Hill inbounded way down the court to Laettner, who somehow found the time for a dribble and a shimmy with one second on the clock. He got his jumper off just in time, finding nylon and keeping Duke’s hopes for a repeat alive.
Hill actually just recorded a video looking back on the moment, crediting legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski for keeping the team engaged despite the massive odds.
Considering that Steph Curry’s dagger in this year’s Olympic gold medal game and Michael Jordan’s famous buzzer-beater against the Cavaliers took the top two spots, Laettner’s winner is Greenberg’s best shot in college basketball history.
.@ESPNGreeny names his most memorable shots in basketball history 💪
Which moments would you add to this list? 💭 pic.twitter.com/cNh0jcnfhJ
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 12, 2024
If Duke fans want an extra reason to smile, Kris Jenkins’ 2016 national championship winner for Villanova took the fifth spot on the list. He, of course, beat North Carolina with the iconic 3-pointer.