Has the NBA become too reliant on three-point shooting? ESPN’s Tim MacMahon doesn’t believe so and used an intriguing analogy to support his argument. During The Hoop Collective podcast with Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps, MacMahon contested a recent question posed to NBA commissioner Adam Silver regarding whether the NBA had entered an “efficiency trap” from teams leaning on three-pointers, potentially compromising the entertainment value for fans. Silver responded, stating that the league would seek ways to “balance these interests.”
However, MacMahon disagreed with this notion. “Pardon my French, but what the bleep are you watching,” MacMahon exclaimed. “Folks, don’t listen to the blabbering idiots out there on the internet and maybe even on your TV. This is the best offensive basketball of any era in the history of the game. It is the most aesthetically pleasing basketball that has ever been played. I do not understand why there’s this fetish for mid-range jump shots. When did mid-range jump shots become something enjoyable to watch?” He elaborated, “Let me just tell you, mid-range jump shots are like toes. There are a select few that are really pretty, but the vast majority, you don’t want to see.”
This is the most insane thing I’ve heard in an NBA podcast in a long time pic.twitter.com/mTYkn9AGga
— will (@willrockets2000) January 24, 2025
“What?” Bontemps reacted. “That was a curveball I was not expecting,” Windhorst added. “Like, how many ugly-ass feet do you see?” MacMahon continued. “Alright. You’re out of here. Enough,” Bontemps interjected. MacMahon responded, “No, I’m just telling you. For those who can’t grasp elementary school math, that’s how you should translate.”
What an unusual comparison! Perhaps MacMahon should consider pitching this soundbite for the next commercial featuring Steph Curry or another skilled three-point shooter—the rest of the advertisement could practically write itself around it.
