Rasheed Bello. The first player to ever record a block with a shoe? Send this shoe to Springfield, Mass.#FeelTheRumble #HLMBB pic.twitter.com/BF44qmdpPY
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) December 7, 2023
We’ve periodically seen basketball players who lose a sneaker and then pick it up and keep playing, with the shoe in their hand, until the next whistle. But Purdue Fort Wayne guard Rasheed Bello took things a step further during last night’s game against Southern Indiana, as he blocked a shot with the sneaker he was holding!
The blocked shot is shown in the tweet above. You can see the full play develop, with Bello holding his shoe as he plays defense, in this video clip:
Is that even legal? According to this article, it is indeed legit, as long as the player doesn’t throw the shoe. (Hmmm, isn’t that what horses do?)
The only thing more amazing than Bello’s sneaker-assisted block is that photographer MaCabe Brown of The Evansville Courier & Press managed to capture the precise moment of the rare footwear feat:
That photo is a bobblehead in the making, don’t you think?
Footnote: This game took place on Southern Indiana’s home court at — get this — Screaming Eagles Arena!
(Big thanks to Mike Chamernik for this one.)
Like the tweet says, send that shoe to the HOF. -C.
Gives new meaning to “Protect This House.” Are you listening, Kevin Plank?
Another cutline suggestion: “Smell ya later.”
If a player holds the shoe closer to the heal he could add another 6” to 10” depending on the foot size. Seems like an unfair advantage.
I think playing with only one shoe would be a bigger disadvantage than the advantage gained by holding one shoe to block a shot. With one shoe on it will be much harder to get into position (think of running on a freshly waxed hard wood floor in stocking feet), and you’d also lose a small amount of height provided by the sole of the shoe.
I love that in the picture there’s only one visible Maker’s Mark, and you have to zoom in to even see it.
So let’s say there’s 2 seconds left in a game and the inbounding team is down by 1. Wouldn’t it make sense to have the defender defending the inbounds pass take both shoes off to block? Maybe they give up 2 inches in height, but they might NET 10-12 inches overall. Given that the game is almost over, it’s worth the downside risk–kind of like pulling the hockey goalie.
I came here to say this – but even better – take off one shoe and jump off the shoed foot! Even more height to work with!
I love every single thing about this story. And yes, I want the bobblehead.
If the shoe block doesn’t work, wave it under the guy’s nose and let him take a big whiff…