Robbert Horry’s shot against the Sacramento Kings will be played long after we are all dust in the wind, but when that moment comes for him, “Big Shot Rob” would like us to play it one more time before the casket drops.
The Lakers' history of legendary players and moments is long and storied.
You have recent memories like Anthony Davis hitting the game-winner in Game 2 versus the Denver Nuggets in 2020. Then there are shots like Magic Jonhson's junior sky hook over the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the 1987 NBA Finals.
For something not so old and not so recent, we have the highlights of the Kobe Bryant Shaquille O'Neal era of the 2000s.
When one thinks of those years, you likely think of Derek Fisher's 0.4 second shot versus the San Antonio Spurs, the Kobe lob to Shaq against the Portland Trail Blazers and the Robert Horry buzzer-beater versus the Sacramento Kings.
In a recent episode of the NBA Finals File podcast, Horry discussed what that shot means to him.
“I’ve made a lot of big shots. That shot is the only shot where you just mention it, I get goosebumps because, to me, making that shot was like the birth of one of my kids. That’s how special it is to me because I grew up a big Laker fan, I grew up a big Magic Johnson fan. To be able to knock down that shot, in Staples and have the fans chant my name, it is the greatest feeling…When I go to meet my maker, I want that video played at my funeral. It’s the best moment of my basketball career.”
#OTD in 2002, Robert Horry stunned the Kings with this buzzer-beater in Game 4 of the WCF pic.twitter.com/H6WfqlSRFd
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 26, 2021
It was a made-for-Holywood moment and it happened in downtown Los Angeles. That shot mattered for so many reasons. It won the game, evened the series at 2-2 instead of the Lakers being down 3-1 and ultimately helped the Lakers win that series and the title.
That shot also helped secure the Lakers' three-peat, a feat no team has been able to accomplish since.
Shots like that are why Horry got the nickname "Big Shot Rob," played 16 years in the NBA, and won seven rings as a player.
It's heartwarming to hear that, with such a storied career, that specific play is still etched in his heart and he views it as iconic of a moment as Lakers fans do.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.
