Has Tony Snell actually been hooping?
It seems like an odd question to ask of a 7-year NBA veteran, but with Snell you definitely have to pose the question. The role player is infamous for one game four years ago against the Jazz where he recorded 0 points, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 rebounds, and 0 blocks in 28 minutes.
His performance, or lack thereof, created one of the funniest basketball stat lines we’ve ever seen.
I’m not a basketball novice, so I know that a lack of stats and a lack of production are not necessarily the same thing. Snell is more of a defensive player, so his rotations might have been on point that night, who knows. I mean he’s been in the league seven years for a reason. But to not even get a loose ball rebound in nearly 30 minutes is wild.
However, Snell has actually done something this season that no other player has done. Snell made history on the basketball court this season and it wasn’t for most minutes played without recording a stat.
He became the first player in NBA history to record a 50/50/100 season. I’m not going to lie, this is one of the most impressive feats I’ve seen from an NBA player, especially considering the context. The level of shooting consistency that you have to have to be able to shoot 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from three is astounding, especially considering the fact that he doesn’t get nearly as many opportunities as some other role players in the league. That means he’s been capitalizing on every other opportunity he’s gotten this season.
That’s expert precision.
Snell has helped the Hawks become a No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, assisting Trae Young and John Collins as a serviceable piece.
Maybe this season will help people forget about that infamous night four years ago when he was just doing wind sprints up and down the court. Snell has had one of the most efficient shooting seasons in NBA history. He deserves to get credit for that.