The Harlem Globetrotters have awed audiences around the world with their tremendous basketball abilities and showmanship. In a recently released video, Globetrotters player Thunder Law broke the world record for longest backward shot at 82 feet 2 inches, beating the previous record by 10 feet. Law is not new to the Guinness Book of World Records, having previously set the record for world's longest shot almost exactly a year ago in November 2013. In his previous feat, Law hurled a basketball 109 feet 9 inches from the floor bleachers of the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Now, with two incredible shots in the record book, one can only wonder what shot Law will attempt to make next year.
The record
Law set the record on Nov. 11, 2014, as part of the 10th annual Guinness World Records Day. Similar to the year before, Law set the record at US Airways Center, this time standing on the court, with the previous record of 72 feet 2 inches taped off. Tape markers were placed every foot past the previous record hash, and three members of the Globetrotters attempted the shot for about an hour before Law eventually swished it. Taking a deep backward stance, Law heaved the ball directly overhead using only one hand with an official Guinness representative witnessing the shot.
The record kicks off the tremendous 2015 "Washington Generals' Revenge" World Tour in which the Globetrotters will play more than 310 games in North America alone between Dec. 26, 2014, and May 2015. Law expressed both his excitement about the shot and the upcoming tour on the Globetrotters' website:
"It was incredible to have the opportunity to break a record last year, and this year, it was just as extraordinary," said Law. "The Globetrotters are known worldwide for amazing feats of basketball, and you can see some of the best athletes on the planet bring it night in and night out on our upcoming tour."
The Harlem Globetrotters
The legendary Harlem Globetrotters are celebrating their 89th consecutive year with the upcoming tour, and Law's shot highlights the remarkable type of entertainment fans can expect from this troop of talented athletes. Throughout the franchise's lengthy history, the team has played in more than 122 countries across six continents, introducing basketball to different cultures around the world. The 2015 "Washington Generals' Revenge" World Tour kicks off in Baltimore on Dec. 26, 2014, with dates following across the nation.
