Luka Dončić Had a Wonderfully Cocky Response to a Question About His Audacious Clutch Hook Shot

Though they didn’t advance in the NBA’s in-season tournament, the Mavericks picked up a hard-fought win over the Rockets on Tuesday night behind 41 points from Luka Dončić. 

Dončić scored 12 of his 41 in the fourth quarter, including a late dagger on a shot that isn’t seen much in today’s NBA. With about a minute to play and Dallas leading by five, Dončić tried to shoot a fadeaway over Houston’s Jalen Green. But Green was able to leap high enough to get a fingertip on the ball and block the shot. After a brief scramble for possession, the ball ended up back in the hands of Dončić in the lane. 

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic reacts to a foul call against the Houston Rockets during the second half at the American Airlines Center.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

That’s when Dončić got creative and hoisted a vintage sky hook, just like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar used to do. The shot fell, dealing a serious blow to the Rockets’ comeback hopes. 

LUKA. MAGIC. 🪄 #MFFL | @dallasmavs on @BallySportsSW 📺 pic.twitter.com/VBwBeTfgcN

— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) November 29, 2023

It was a difficult shot, and Dončić was asked by a reporter after the game what he was thinking when he decided to take it. His response was simple: “That I’m going to make it.”

Question: "What's going through your head when you decide to shoot a hook shot there at the end?"

Luka: "That I'm going to make it."

Next question. #MFFL | @dallasmavs on @BallySportsSW 📺 pic.twitter.com/zPmsWSO8hJ

— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) November 29, 2023

Fair enough. 

Dončić has attempted a few hook shots in his career (61 in total, or 0.86% of his 7,018 career field goal attempts), but his tough 11-footer against the Rockets on Tuesday was his longest made hook shot of his career. It was a tough shot, but he obviously didn’t doubt it was going in.