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Kevin McHale to Kevin Garnett on up-and-under move: "Your "up" sucks"!

 Kevin McHale's signature up-and-under move only made #10 on NBA TV's Signature Moves rankings. Kevin thought he should be at #7 and even suggested if he was at #11, he wouldn't have to be on the show.



Number-10 is about right for the move. It was so damn simple, and we know that any shot not a dunk or 3-pointer will never be highly-rated in today's League. McHale said he was only 5'10" tall at the start of his sophomore year in high school, and developed the up-and-under to score on bigger opponents.

Then when he grew much taller (6'10" eventually), his main move was a jump hook, but against the "leapers", he would go to the up-fake and then the underhanded lay in (per McHale):

"I liked shooting over two or three guys because it made Danny (Ainge) mad. Danny used to say, 'You got three guys on you', and I would say, 'Ya, but I scored.' "

Back when Kevin Garnett asked to be taught the up-and-under move, McHale told him:

"You better get an "up" first, because there's no "under" if you can't make a shot, and your "up" sucks."

Nothing like directness! Kevin shot .554 on field goals for his career. His signature inside moves were some of the best ever seen in the history of the NBA. And so damn simple. Nothing flashy. Just very effective.

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