The skyhook made him the greatest NBA scorer ever, but only because a marathoner's pace allowed him to unfurl it over parts of three decades. Who else could win MVP awards in NBA Finals 14 years apart? Given how effective the skyhook was -- "the most awesome weapon in the history of any sport," said his coach with the Lakers, Pat Riley -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's example poses the question: Why has no one used it since?

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