Deadspin Wayback Machine: On this date, Cardiac Kemba is born and DeAndre Jordan makes Brandon Knight rethink ever stepping onto a court

Donovan Dooley|published: Wed 10th March, 11:51 2021

It was 10 years ago today that Cardiac Kemba hit one of the most iconic shots in college hoops history. source: Getty Images

Today is the anniversary of two of the most iconic basketball moments in the 21st century.

March 10 has given us two of the most exciting and embarrassing moments in sports history.

First, let’s talk about Cardiac Kemba. Today marks the tenth anniversary of Kemba Walker’s famous step-back jumper against Pittsburgh in the Big East tournament. Walker got a mismatch with Panthers’ big man Gary McGhee in the final seconds of the Big East quarterfinals and needless to say, it was wraps after that.

Walker gets into his bag and makes McGhee fall to the court before sinking the mid-range shot as time expired. The shot would serve as one of the catalysts to UConn’s historic 2011 March Madness run. The Huskies took home the Big East title and would later grab the national championship. Walker would be named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament that year.

Secondly, it’s time to commemorate one of the most demonstrative and powerful dunks of all time. It was a dunk that left a man completely victimized on the hardwood of Staples Center. It’s also one of the best moments of the “Lob City Clippers.”

DeAndre Jordan ran down the middle of the lane in a halfcourt set versus Detroit. Chris Paul saw Jordan going to the paint and threw up a lob to Jordan. For some inexplicable reason, Detroit guard Brandon Knight decided to jump with Jordan to prevent the lob. Don’t get me wrong, it was certainly a brave move but also a move that was incredibly stupid. Jordan catches the lob and punches the ball through the rim on Knight and the guard crumbles to the floor trying to grasp what had just transpired.

It’s one of the best in-game dunks I have ever seen. Knight was never really the same player after that play. You have to remember that nearly a month prior, Knight was crossed up by Kyrie Irving in the Rising Stars Game. He was dealing with a whole lot of basketball trauma.

The Walker shot and Jordan dunk are two timeless moments in basketball history. It’s just hard to believe that they were both so long ago now.

Man, we’re getting old.