Originally Posted by SeasonTicketFan
Donald Smith had a very unique shot called a step away. Nobody shoots it anymore. Donald developed the shot due to a leg injury earlier in his life. it was impossible to defend.
Numerous players in the area tried to imitate the step away. I tried and could not. No one could. It was uniquely Smitty.
The step away was a pivot stop in which Smitty moved forward at high speed almost sideways. Smitty stopped with shoulders not square but more like perpendicular to the basketball. The defender would be fooled by the front foot. Smitty would stop on a dime, then lean backwards (step away) and shoot off the back foot while leaning baskwards. It was not a jump shot, but more like a jump stop, lean back away from the basket. Impossible to defend. For us who tried to imitate it, the shot was impossible to execute.
I'm not doing it justice trying to describe it. I tried to look up a video of Smitty shooting the step away, but could not find any footage.
I was younger than Smitty so I never played against him until a pick up game late in his life. His health was not good then but he still the shake and bake moves as well. I remember guarding him and being more in awe than his defender. I felt like the players in the Olympics who wanted the Dream Team autographs.
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I'll try and add to the description. It was like his back was arched and left knee was cocked up to up just above his waste while his right foot was almost(if not fully) touching the ground. At least that's how I have it pictured in my memory.
