Nikola Jokić's Best One-Legged Fadeaways | "Sombor Shuffle"

The best of Nikola Jokic's signature "Sombor Shuffle", a stepback fadeaway jumper off one leg.
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[@aeronjohn995]

You know its going in if Jokic did a sombor shuffle

[@UnoDinero95001]

He has john wick levels of accuracy.

[@NeneVZ]

@@UnoDinero95001 and he could beat John Wick at arm wrestling

[@itshiho]

After a while you come to realize that shot is not luck at all, even the ones made against the Lakers. No one can be just lucky that many times 😂😂

[@Martoto94]

“No way these shots keep going in” - my Laker friend after Game 1…

[@Rogue_Centurion]

Literally 90% of Laker fans after game 1

[@steviechampagne]

and they kept going in… and in…. and in again…

[@aedaed3605]

that's what I used to say when I saw Dirk's game the first time safe to say I've gotten shut the hell up 😂

[@WCGreeny]

​@Aed Aed I'm reminded of Curry's breakout season. I'm like "What's a bad shot? What's a good shot? I don't even know anymore."

[@brown9671]

Every shot Jokic takes looks like it won’t go in, but you also know it’s going in. It’s not alright, he’s a sick man

[@mihailosebek1791]

Look at moments when he takes this shots. Its almost always tight score, and he nails it every time.

[@omnivorous65]

Can we appreciate that the man consistently shoots the ball with a perfect arch. I mean PERFECT. I am 100% certain that you can plot a mathematically calculated ideal curve against the arch of his shots and both lines would not deviate from each other.

[@TheChzoronzon]

All ball curves are perfect parables, unless Jean Grey is in the court... but I get you. Most of them don't touch the rim...

[@goldie5678-pb2fg]

I read they play a lot of water polo in Serbia....explains a lot of his shooting!!

[@wyotriumphrider]

Mathematically, the higher the arc of a shot, the more target area is presented by the rim.

[@omnivorous65]

@@wyotriumphrider There are two variables that need to be balanced. The ideal arc would also need to minimise the total distance the ball has to travel while achieving the highest possible arc. The longer the distance the ball travels the more initial directional inaccuracies take effect.

[@buljas78]

​@@goldie5678-pb2fgnot only that we play a lot of waterpolo we are also the best national team in waterpolo!

[@ParagonDavci]

Insane how about 80% of these are nothing but net.. I'm not sure how impressive that is, but it is to me.

[@juhada]

Whoever came up with "Sombor shuffle" needs a raise, whoever approved this YT title needs one too. The dude who pressed the upload button on the vid. A raise for that fella.

[@miki_car]

He was playing with an injured leg and couldn't rely on it, so he used the healthy one to shoot. Then he realized that it was going well, and he just kept going.

[@jimmyjoejerkic]

Chris Marlowe coined it "The Sombor Shuffle".

[@samuelsamano3777]

The nuggets play by play guy called it years ago.

[@bryanfoster326]

Someone called the fading 3 over AD in game 4 the “Sombor sling,” and I love that too

[@dee5tank]

​@@bryanfoster326that was Coach Malone in one of the pressers after the series. I think everything is just going to be the Sambor S___. Like McDonald's is gonna give Nikola an endorsement and they'll get him to advertise the Sombor Shake. Nike/Air Jordan will give Jokic the Sombor Shoe. 😂

[@Unklechopchop]

it's just a stroll in the park for jokic this game , best player in the world ...... JOKIC IS BASKETBALL WIZARD!

[@Belgrade-Wolf]

Jokić is apparently part of Serbia's secret science fiction project. The project allowed his mind to be one second into the future, before everyone else on the basketball court. HUSH-HUSH

[@shawndonq135]

Dude I love how unorthodox he is its actually really inspiring

[@ΣπύροςΠετρόπουλος-χ6δ]

He also had one vs giannis in Greece vs Serbia

[@ХорхеГарсия-э5е]

It's like the Nowitzki fadeaway but it looks even more unlikely to go in despite going in almost every time

[@katsutama]

Some of them are not Sombor Shuffles, especially at the beginning. True Sombor Shuffle is when he takes one dribble and then side steps or step back with his RIGHT foot and then jumps off that foot and shoots with his RIGHT hand with little bit of twisting his body to allign to the rim from FACE UP position. First time we see real Sombor Shuffle in this video is at the 1:19 Shooting with RIGHT hand from jumping off from RIGHT foot is an unorthodox way and very difficult and unusual.

[@EE-bg1de]

so i literally searched this yesterday, AND BOOM! TODAY WE GET A VIDEO!

[@MegamanGaming]

Feels like you could make an entire 10 minute video of him doing this to the Lakers in the playoffs this year.

[@acsatx]

there goes that man..

[@WCGreeny]

You somehow contained the best half court offense in the league, you somehow kept Jokic from finding an open man for a whole possession, you have a 4x all defence team centre draped all over him. To get a shot off, he has to take a stepback 3 off the wrong foot, with the ball literally cocked behind his head. It's a bad shot. It's perfect defense. It doesn't matter.

[@lukagremory6618]

Holy man the form is so beautiful

[@KarloJamisola]

Modern day Tim Duncan Selfless, no ego, just play & dominate type of guy. Fun fact: Tim duncan first championship is against 8th seeded team. Will history repeat itself?

[@nardnard1204]

Watching Jokic hit those shots are so demoralizing as a defender

[@bssL25]

It really is like watching Dirk’s old shots. The high arc, the unstoppable nature. And he’s taller, and a great passer above all that. And he’s got a good back to basket repertoire.

[@tebra643]

NIKOLA JOKIĆ IS: HIM THE TRUTH THE ANSWER THE BIG TICKET THE BIG FUNDAMENTAL ☆☆☆NOT SINCE WILT!!!!!☆☆☆ SUPERMAN(APPROVED BUY SHAQ😉) NEO(HE FIGURED OUT THE MATRIX) THE BEST HUMAN BEING ❤️ THE BIG TIPPER THE JOKER BIG HONEY WCF MVP👊 THE BEST PLAYER IN THE GAME THE REAL MVP To be continued....

[@shinobu2394]

ok... watching this, makes sense he just fuckin dominated the same dudes on his way to the chip, dudes been dominating these dudes for the last 4 years

[@mar9335]

It took the nuggets making the finals before you decided to pay attention to them

[@therambler3713]

The arch on the shot is a thing of beauty

[@pindo8856]

I can't even make shots consistently with a proper text-book form. This guy has his own ways and nails it every time.

[@Veyronp87]

really resembling Dirk with that fadeaway. High release while being 7 foot is deadly

[@devin8297]

Linking this to anyone else that says “he won’t make shots like that the whole series”

[@erikheymann9390]

So many of these shots are made in clutch time, too

[@radazoka1]

Nije normalan,.....daleko najbolji ❤ZIVELA SRBIJA i Jokic

[@Adam-yj9jj]

So many of these are hit against DPOYs. Unreal

[@ChairmanMeow1]

In a couple of these clips he is literally triple teamed and he still knocks it down lol

[@currentlyuninformed3857]

as the years go by he shoots this from farther and farther away, next year he will be shooting these from the logo

[@GoVanSeeds]

The first four shots were not Sombor shuffles. 2 dirks and two jump shots. Sombor shuffles start about two minutes into the video. A Sombor shuffle is a “wrong footed Dirk.

[@ZaomiPro]

Dirk calls it "the way of the Joker"

[@platoonutzeyz88]

Best player in the league right now.

[@srdjanjovanovic3982]

He made that one big eyebrow split herself in disbelief

[@mikalgangmark]

Crazy thing is that they are all only net😳

[@gutierrezcja]

👑KING of kings

[@mondazebasketball]

its oddly satisfying how he torched KAT, right after KAT went delusional in podcast

[@johnhanover2229]

Makes Embiid look like Most Vulnerable Pandrer.

[@shuyuantang5331]

he's so tall and hard to block already and he deploys the larry bird style behind the head shooting... like wtf

[@hmp01]

yea that first one is when you do a circular motion on your analogue stick, by accident

[@NiKi-ij2ln]

Love that Boban vs Nikola

[@11fasteddie]

Un-stoppable

[@frankcosta4662]

Sombor Shuffle is off the right leg.👍🏻 This was just a fadeaway.

[@nemanjapudar201]

Sombor Shuffle is gooooood!!! :)

[@lamasterbatonlll1383]

Kendrick Perkins sent me here.....Oh my GAWD!

[@thomaskuttyjoy6573]

You can’t guard that. No way in hell you can guard it.

[@slobodanvidekanic3633]

Half of those shot where not Sombor shuffle...

[@jationmivioni4937]

He is like nuclear bomb for the NBA .! 🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸

[@Account-kx5vr]

Yep, them and the fake media can't stand it, Go Jokic!!

[@rickyisme1230]

That’s one of those shots make defenders like No fucking way WTF 😂

[@AboundedBoot]

Alternate title: why KAT hates Jokic

[@xyzxyz3917]

this is another big thing! Fadeaway by dirk, catch and shoot by curry, Sombor shuffle by Jokic!!!

[@theokingshango]

Skillt Chamberlain

[@dankeman5266]

His jumpers often times also have a high ark like classic Dirk‘s. Apparently they‘re more likely to get in…

[@sharimeisel8786]

“Signature Shot” 🤣😂🤣

[@kaikaichen]

To me, this looks looks almost identical to Dirk's one-legged fadeaway. And I mean that in a good way!

[@chouaibghassiri6899]

When he is running back after the shot , the unathletic run 😂

[@weqe2278]

Why does this feel like the Lakers highlights?

[@LiquidThunder12]

It's so ugly, yet so beautiful at the same time

[@06todits]

His foot wasn’t on the line when he made that first shot.

[@musubi8885]

Never realized Jokic is able to do this off of each leg. Such an unstoppable move.

[@Fmoon20]

Off the left leg it's just a regular shot but when he does it off his right, the wrong foot, it's a sombor shuffle

[@kawakami789]

“If do right… no can defense” - Mr. Miyagi

[@domagojhrgovic7419]

Travel

[@medicineman77]

​@@domagojhrgovic7419 in your dreams🤡

[@joelove9424]

​@@domagojhrgovic7419 no, not at all. Learn the game

[@jdrummerdd]

about 2 years late to the hype but glad y'all are finally doing your jobs!

[@SamuelBlackMetalRider]

Technically the hype is NOW since no one now can spurt out the BS narrative of Jokic choking come playoffs. Which they still did few months ago. Now everybody quiet. Now everybody praising Jokic, rightfully so. The hype is now and the hype is real. Those who truly love & know bball have known for a while of course. We were there BEFORE the hype

[@danielnikochandra]

@@SamuelBlackMetalRider yeah he's not choking at all, its just these last 2 seasons everyone is always injured and he had to carry the whole franchise by himself in the playoffs 🥲

[@Young-ep8ik]

It's funny how many fans thought Jokic was 'lucky' to hit those end of shock clock 3s in the lakers series. It's literally his go-to move when time is winding down and he hits those with very high consistency for years now.

[@jasonmilly3320]

Yeah not many people care enough to watch the Nuggets till they're deep into the playoffs. Actually hope it stays that way I don't like all the attention

[@Rogue_Centurion]

Yeah there’s plenty of highlights of him doing it

[@dylanvolpe315]

Shock clock?

[@scufed]

​@@dylanvolpe315what is a " shock" clock lol

[@darkonovakovic1213]

Bro basically all of these were at the end of shot clocks in high leverage situations. This is wild.

[@peterpan3022]

well he would never take that shot with time on the clock since he always tries to find the best shot for the team.

[@island_dancer]

There was an interview with Aaron Gordon before the all star break where he mentioned this about Joker. He told him the fadeaway was a last resort shot - its hard to do and by moving away from the basket, you deny yourself your own rebound opportunity. So I think the reason these are all late in the shot clock is because he doesn't see a way to create anything better, so he goes for the fade. The crazy thing is he is 53% from contested mid range, so even his shot of last resort is pretty likely to go in.

[@sdogg]

Yeah it's crazy. Shot clock about to expire and the games are close. Unbelievable

[@Vlada1969]

The sheer number of this shots he made while the time was running out is mind boggling.

[@steviechampagne]

and at the end of games!! jokic is so clutch is insane. he is an all time legend

[@nndayo6408]

Ikr, he's so clutch it's amazing

[@rodelotabamorce]

That's his go-to move with clock winding down

[@jaegerwilks5147]

@@rodelotabamorce And people say he doesn't have a go to move

[@Blekkkkkkkkk]

The ultimate bail out move .

[@DNDMarcus2293]

Best ungaurdable fadeaway since dirk😂😂😂

[@UnoDinero95001]

Facts

[@hristijandimitrovski8664]

That isn't even fadeaway, that's fadeaway and step back in one😂🤣🤣😂

[@ChuckwaldMartin]

@@hristijandimitrovski8664 and off the wrong foot

[@hristijandimitrovski8664]

@@ChuckwaldMartin yeah😬😬he is crazy.

[@RapidFrames]

even AD cant guard it, who else can. so fun to watch this era

[@032HULK]

A few more good sombor shuffles are missing, but ok, one more sick through Rudy Gobert, and the sickest since last summer Serbia vs Greece through Giannis full turn for three points is the best he ever hit.

[@occultsymbols]

agreed that one was so insane vs giannis. I fell out of my chair watching him hit that shot live. Even my mom who doesn't normally watch basketball was shocked.

[@angahbg9089]

​@@occultsymbols even Jokic was shock bro

[@jaegerwilks5147]

@@occultsymbols That shot was when I started thinking they could really win it all

[@CalebShimomura]

if i told you that Nikola Jokic had a better PPG average last year than Dirk ever had in his entire career, would you believe me?

[@madhavyu]

If I told you that I believe random people on the internet all the time would you believe me?

[@chillax9184]

I love Jokic but that’s a bad stat to compare. The longer the period is, the higher the chance of one to have a low PPG. Why would you compare an entire career to a one season?

[@melon360noscope]

@@chillax9184 I think he was talking about any point in dirk’s career not referring to his whole career PPG

[@teriba453]

​@Chillax Jokic averaged 27 points last season alone, Dirk never averaged up to 27 points in a single season, you didn't understand what he said

[@808Buddha]

its a bad comparison due to the league being much more offensively oriented now. much higher total point averages. a fair take would be what their ppg is as a percentage of the team total score

[@paulv7744]

Side step + Stepback + 1 legged Fadeaway = Sombor shuffle.

[@donlon2579]

You should add turnaround when he is in the post

[@collinalvarado1462]

It's not a Sombor if it's off his left foot, but I think it's too late to get everyone to agree to be that specific

[@dee5tank]

​@@collinalvarado1462totally. The true Sombor Shuffle aficionados will know its the unconventional shooting of shooting right hand, right foot.

[@tzeege]

@@collinalvarado1462 You don't need everyone to agree. True fans, and most importantly Jokic and the Nuggets, know that it's right hand/right foot. ESPN did a video on a proper Sombor in 2021 and it's perfectly explained. The title is "Jokić’s ‘Sombor Shuffle’ is half step-back, half fadeaway and all cash."

[@paulv7744]

@@tzeege Correct. The Sombor Shuffle is not a science. Its an Art.. 🤣

[@jesstiss222]

But tell us again how “boring” and “slow” Joker’s play is 😏

[@teledanhogan4237]

Finally. We’ve been telling National Media about the Sombor Shuffle for 7 YEARS. Now the world will understand how incredible he is…

[@norpriest521]

There's no way you can defend shots from shooting form like that. His release is behind his head bruh Jokic replaced KD lately as the most unstoppable player today.

[@goldie5678-pb2fg]

As in water polo, which he grew up playing!!

[@miki_car]

He was playing with an injured leg and couldn't rely on it, so he used the healthy one to shoot. Then he realized that it was going well, and he just kept going.

[@gunthro3327]

Did he say this in an interview or something? I would like to see it

[@miki_car]

@@gunthro3327 yes on espn .Title on YTube is "Nikola Jokic is not focused"

[@impolaris1398]

@@gunthro3327 yes he did say in interview

[@Neoctix]

His fadeaway is just so unorthodox and pretty spectacular because of it. He is jumping from the right foot and rotates his body with his back left foot to align it to the basket. This Sombor shuffle, his crazy touch/post shots and his passing makes him one of the most enjoyable basketball player to watch.

[@Goose21]

He might have the best touch on close shots I've ever seen. They don't even look like shots half the time he just throws it in, it's wild to watch

[@the_real_ch3]

And he says he started doing it a couple years ago when he had a sprained left ankle, it hurt too much to jump off both feet so he just started doing it off only his right foot. And he accidentally invented an unstoppable shot

[@DontTakeCrack]

jumping off the right foot doesn't sound like what's happening? that would be extremely unnatural. to me, he's still working off the left and lifting his right knee similar to dirk to block the defender. so he's basically combined dirk's style with an off the dribble fadeaway.

[@jesustenes2]

​@@DontTakeCrackhe does have the usual dirk kd left legged fade, but the special move is the one-dribble right legged fade like the last one of the video, that's what the announcers named the sombor shuffle

[@hristijandimitrovski8664]

I don't know if people really understand hoow TOUGH these shots are😮😮😮that's basically step back and one legged fadeaway in one move. And he takes them often. These shots are on the same amount of difficuly like Kobe's shots.

[@Vrbaski]

the hardest part of all this is the fact that its off the RIGHT foot. I can't comprehend how he has the coordination to make it look that easy. I assume he practices this a ton, but being able to just casually shoot a fade off the right foot is insane. That type of shot would be a hail mary for most players, not a crunch time, end of shot clock swish. Also, the really crazy ones at the start where the ball is behind his head. None of it makes sense.

[@hristijandimitrovski8664]

​@@Vrbaskiyeah... Incredible

[@DrawQuick2014]

4:11 my all time favorite nuggets call

[@jincodi4136]

He always breaks this out during clutch time. It feels like he never misses the shot. Like he has dark magic that he can only use sparingly late in the game

[@Blekkkkkkkkk]

Basically this moves just creates open shot, and u hit an open shots. Usually people do the right side step for bail out move, like kyrie on 2016 finals. Except this one is using one leg only

[@schmoke.]

The only player who can stop the Jokic shuffle is Jokic.

[@SergioRodriguez_93]

RIP to any Heat player tryin to guard this🤷🏻‍♂️

[@acsatx]

bam definitely

[@deusxvi1383]

@@acsatx ad was struggling bam not guarding that lol

[@schmoke.]

Bam stands no chance, doesn't have the size or strength to handle anything that Jokic has, I expect Jokic to average 30+ every game and a bunch of assists as they try to double him in desperation, Nuggets in 5

[@acsatx]

@@deusxvi1383 no i mean as in bam can’t definitely guard that😭

[@deusxvi1383]

@@acsatx o lol

[@donlon2579]

The sombor shuffle is the same level of skyhook you saw it coming but its hard to stop, i think jokic is the only one who can use it because its built from his shooting form, stepping back to the right with a right leg and right hand shooting from back of the head or the side while twisting his body it means jokic body can protect the shooting hand and mistime opponents reaction by hiding the ball from the back or side of his head😂😂

[@charliedontsurf9155]

This compilation got me thinking about the skyhook too ! A simple move but when perfected , like you said , almost impossible to stop . Jokic basically freezes out his defenders and no matter how athletic they are , they are not able to get there in time !

[@tafadzwamanzini5463]

The guy had to be the ebst inthe league for 3 years to get respect lol insane

[@mavericks2k811]

All time great signature move right there

[@deusxvi1383]

that shit is literally unguardable lmao

[@djfunkychicken]

Red headband Jokic is a MONSTER

[@tzeege]

Legendary game.

[@markost.8944]

And they thought it was luck. 😂

[@alejandromaracaibeno9305]

Jokic, you're a pure fckng genius. Just spent 105 euros for your official jersey ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@skiptomylou1717]

Beaty of basketball package in one human being. Who gets it,gets it..🎉

[@CalebShimomura]

You may not like it, but this is what peak basketball form looks like

[@EnterOnlyy]

You better credit the goat Chris Marlowe for that nickname

[@captainfalcon2878]

Miami, good luck lol

[@vripper2678]

86% of the game on average Whenever Jokic touches the basketball or makes a play that impacts its movement close to the basket. That’s no.1 in nba history. Wilt follows at 71%. MJ is 66% and LeBron was 59%. Oscar 57%.

[@clareflattery8720]

His statue should either be this, or a crazy assist

[@uberneanderthal]

you know who the real ones are by the fact they didn't put a twitter hashtag on their back during the bubble. Butler and Jokic said 'no thanks, just here to hoop'

[@jdrummerdd]

lmfao just shut up bruh it was 3 years ago

[@averagegoslingenthusiast2033]

Neither had a hashtag and neither won anything 🤣

[@5280Misfit]

@@averagegoslingenthusiast2033 okay stupid ass sayings*

[@suzunome47]

​@@averagegoslingenthusiast2033 well one of them is about to win a real championship this year and not a fake Mickey Mouse ring in 2020.

[@anonymous-bm4yh]

​@@suzunome47 jealous cuz ur trash team can't win in the bubble lmao

[@ErikAlvidrez]

Poetry in motion 😮‍💨 that’s the modern day Dirk fadeaway.. unguardable🔥

[@elwick7375]

THIS is the only unguardable shot in the NBA rn. No one can do the sky hooks no more as effectively but the shuffle is so unique it only works when the joker does it

[@Blekkkkkkkkk]

Jokic floaters is just as good and unguardable. Dude just floats it without jumping. How do you time that to block. Also flotaers in generals are just the better way to finish with absolutely guaranteed that it wont be blocked over skyhook

[@eldiablo7450]

And all the Lakers fans I heard all said it is luck... Look at him Is that luck?

[@DINO92AVFC]

Kudos to NBA for bringing Sombor shuffle to people's attention, but as a long time Nuggets fan I just need to say that not every one legged fadeaway shot is called that. It's just the one when he does it off of his right foot jumping to the right side (and sometimes backwards as well). For example, none of those 3 shots in the Lakers' series was Sombor shuffle, and actually, in this compilation the first REAL Sombor shuffle appears at 1:20 mark.

[@berryesseen]

I would like to see a training video of Jokic developing Sombor shuffle from scratch. It really feels like Naruto developing Rasengan. It's not really a desperation shot if you make it with such a high percentage. It is an actual shot like Lillard's "bad" shot.

[@BrothaGoneBased]

I would pay to watch his preparation/training from like 2017-2020. Top 5 most visually interesting player

[@broncohaak]

Just and FYI the shuffle has to come off the RIGHT foot

[@lukamarkovic1706]

Facts

[@edwin2040]

I think Lakers lost the series with dignity, cuz the Joker was their opponent😂

[@Rogue_Centurion]

The Lakers lost with dignity, the Lakers bandwagoners didnt

[@kentymashmilo758]

Thats the coolest unathletic move ever lol