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Will Perdue likens Kevin Durant's game-winner against the Chicago Bulls to Michael Jordan's "The Shot"

Former Chicago Bull, discusses the epicness of KD's game-winning shot against the Bulls, comparing it to MJ's iconic "The Shot."
Stephen Beslic|
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Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant recently ripped the Chicago Bulls’ heart out with a game-winning jumper in their thrilling showdown last week. So, it’s ironic that former Bulls center Will Perdue would compare Durant’s clutch shot to one of Michael Jordan’s most iconic moments.

In a recent interview with The Athletic, Perdue spoke about the similarities between Durant’s game-winner and Jordan’s famous “The Shot” against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1989 playoffs. Both shots came from almost identical spots on the right wing, with similar fadeaway form and results.

Double-pumped it

Perdue was a four-time NBA champion who spent eight seasons playing for the Bulls, most of it alongside His Airness. The Vanderbilt product was in his rookie season for the Bulls when Jordan made “The Shot” that lifted the Bulls past the Cavs and into the second round of the 1989 Eastern Conference Playoffs. 

Perdue even had a great view of the shot, so when he saw Durant’s game-winner, he couldn't help but be reminded of that iconic moment in Bulls' history.

“That was a double-pump!” Perdue exclaimed.

“That’s the same thing Jordan did against (Craig) Ehlo in ’89. I was there!”

Different situations, the same result

Of course, the situations differed, as KD’s shot came in a tied ballgame in the regular season. On the other hand, Jordan's came in a do-or-die playoff game. But the similarities are still striking, and the difficulty levels jarring. In 1989, Jordan had to hang in the air and wait for Ehlo to come down to get his shot off.

Meanwhile, Durant had Patrick Williams challenging his shot in front while Alex Caruso tried blocking the shot from behind.

“Caruso almost blocked it — and there’s a defender in the front?” Perdue said.

“That’s one of those things, it’s almost like spidey sense. He’s got a third eye. Or an eye in the back of his head or something. … The perfect timing of the pump and then to take it back up, after Caruso had swung through to go up and shoot it. And if you notice, it was so pure the net barely moved.”

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Stephen Beslic
STEPHEN BESLIC

Stephen Beslic is a writer on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Network. Stephen played basketball from the age of 10 and graduated from Faculty of Economic and Business in Zagreb, Croatia, majoring in Marketing.

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