Tuesday, January 18th, 2011 at 3:00 pm  |  31 responses

Layup Swag

You can tell a lot about a player by the way they score a layup.

Sonny Weems, Layup Swag.

by Candice Wiggins | @candicewiggins

You can tell so much about a basketball player by the way they score a layup. I don’t know why or how, you just can. It’s this special basketball formula. And it’s so accurate, that any guy who challenges me to a one-on-one game has to have it before I’ll agree to any competition.

And that is what I call “Layup Swag.”

Several aspects come into play when determining one’s level of Layup Swag, but silly details like race and gender are irrelevant. Anyone can have Layup Swag — from 6 years old to 70 years old, man or woman, boy or girl — and that’s what’s dope about it. It is not to be confused with dunk swag, which only pertains to the much smaller percentage of unique people who can defy gravity, soar through the air, and dangle from the rim of a basketball goal. Having Layup Swag is crucial, because for most of everyone, including me, it’s the first shot you learn in the game. It’s the shot everyone in the world would go for if they had the opportunity to shoot for a million dollars. It is the easiest shot in basketball, however it is also sometimes the hardest shot for most to master. And, although I haven’t done any empirical research, it could very well be the most commonly missed.

I can appreciate any baller out there who has certified Layup Swag. Layup Swag is a mentality that you can develop, but maybe it’s mostly something you’re born with.  To me, one’s Layup Swag is part footwork, part finishing and part confidence. The footwork of a layup is only the beginning. How do you choose to finish it? Do you use the right hand on the left side? Is that such a bad thing? Can you finger roll? Can you score on a reverse layup? Does any of that even matter if you’re not confident in your delivery?  In my opinion, if you have Layup Swag, not only can you answer all of these questions with pride, but you are guaranteed to be an asset to a team.

Cheers to the easiest shot in the world and doing it with swag.

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  • http://mn23.tumblr.com martin

    any true basketball player should agree with this. so true!

  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    Did part of this article not get posted?

  • http://thephotoriot.com davidR

    nice idea, but agree with eboy. feels like this is incomplete. maybe include some examples of players who have layup swag so we can get a better idea of what you’re describing?

  • Teetttter rose

    Your swag is phenomenal.

  • DFrance21

    I definitely know what the writer means buy some examples would have made the story complete.

  • http://bassbesteck@wordpress.com Bassbesteck

    i got perimeter swag. It’s 3 points not only 2 ^^

  • http://stapledesign.com Spaceship Jay

    Co-sign Eboy. Great Idea, the layup thing is true, but there are no examples to have fun with.

  • Justin E

    The picture with the article is an example of Layup Swag to me. Good article Candice! One more paragraph might’ve been nice, but I think it is good how it is.

  • bbubbs

    check t parker, d rose

  • http://www.need4sheed.com Tarzan Cooper

    This was really short. …… Tyreke has incredible layup swag

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com/dacre Dacre

    Steve Nash’s lay up swag looks like his nose…you don’t know which direction it’s coming from

  • http://www.djpatlok.com pl

    This is the Jay Williams of articles – so much tantalizing potential, yet cut saddeningly short due to carelessness.

  • JC

    “sore through the air” ??

  • http://slamonline.com biged

    I lol’ed at Dacre

  • riggs

    can someone take swag out of thiq

  • riggs

    can someone take the word swag out of the lexicon of this country? one of the dumbest words that people use today…

  • D-Block

    Wow pl…and cosign riggs. AI did have mad lay up swag back in the glory days (00-04) though.

  • Chukaz

    you know who doesn’t have lay up swag? The Minnesota Timberwolves. The Charlot Bobcats have some lay up swag but its all coming from their owner. I’d say the entire state of idaho’s swagless (not just in lay ups, swagless period)

  • fiasco

    LAY-UP SWAG? Are you out of your mind? When are people going to stop following the tail of the people in front of them and be their own person??? Swag? That word has to go. I know since hip-hop died the whole “pop” thing has blown up, and mc’s are as soft as ever, but LAY-UP SWAG??? Please, do yourself a favor and the next time you hear or see something that sounds/looks absolutely rediculous please leave it alone.

  • http://www.twitter.com/chris_griff_3 Chris_Griff_3

    Ask me about “swag” and I’ll look at you like a…

  • PapaBearATL

    Need to put Swagger in the same jar as Bling-Bling and bury that time capsule, lol. I’m bringing back ‘dope’, ‘fresh’ and ‘ill’.

  • Monstarzz

    This is kinda dope of an idea tho. Killa post icles.

  • http://twitter.com/smk73 SMK73

    Rondo shoots lay-ups from 12 feet. Swagger.

  • tonyknorr

    pour a little liqour out for the cats like me who had substantial lay up styles but messed them up occasionaly by not being able to decide on whether to dunk it or just finish a dope lay up, and in the end would end with just an awkward lay up or a missed dunk because they second guessed it. See I am one of many that often put themselves in dunking situations but couldn’t consistently bang during games so they end up looking like they should have smashed one but instead just made a lay up look difficult or awkward.

  • http://www.slamonline.com AllDayEveryDay

    honestly, this article is retarded. What the heck… “layup Swag” really??? jeezus christ. Thank God you didn’t make this pointless article a long one.

  • Monstarzz

    ^^Candice is a better writer, ball, person than you. deal with it.

  • JC

    seriously, if you cannot score a layup, you should be playing basketball, at all. Candice may ball better than I do, i give her that, but she is retarded for having a major crush on layups.

  • JC

    ^^ should -> shouldn’t

  • K.a.

    Never really gave this topic thought but know exactly what it refers to. Its that shot some guys do around the basket thats totally unconscious. Like dudes talking to somebody off court and he just casually flips it in like breathing. Or that guy in the layup line who flips a no look with a glazed, bored look, like it nuthin.

  • K.a.

    Never really gave this topic thought but know exactly what it refers to. Its that shot some guys do around the basket thats totally unconscious. Like dudes talking to somebody off court and he just casually flips it in like breathing. Or that guy in the layup line who flips a no look with a glazed, bored look, like it nuthin.

  • str8 from samoa

    u know AI used to do layups from da free throw line aye. now thats swag haha

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