Sports: Reimagined - What If Butler's Gordon Hayward Hit The Half Court Shot To Win The 2010 NCAA Tournament?
The most iconic missed shot in college basketball history. Nay, the most iconic missed shot in all of basketball history. But, what if? What if Gordon Hayward drilled this half court shot in Indianapolis to complete arguably the most surprising run to an NCAA title in Tournament history.
This is the one non-Kentucky play I'd most want to change. It alters the course of college hoops history! Butler becomes a 'mid-major' (remember they were a Horizon League team) to win a title. There are no doubt movies that come out about this team and that run, especially considering this game and the Final Four took place in Indianapolis - the home town of Butler.
Think of all the other things too. K has one less title and goes from 2001 until at least 2015 (don't even get me started on that Final Four ironically enough in Indianapolis) with a title. Does Brad Stevens leave a year early? Will more NBA teams be willing to take on college basketball champion Brad Stevens instead of the Celtics waiting a year for back-to-back title game appearance Brad Stevens? That offseason alone the Rockets, Warriors, Lakers, Timberwolves, Raptors and Pistons all changed head coaches. Oh and it wasn't Mike D'Antoni or Steve Kerr taking those jobs.
Not only that but you had the perfect call too. Jim Nantz, arguably the biggest big game voice out there, calling the free throws from Zoubek. 'Butler has no timeouts. It's Hayward pulling it down, getting around Zoubek. At halfcourtttt. Launches the shotttttttt. OHHHHHHH IT ALMOST WENT IN.' But what if it was. Nantz had that called lined up for years, YEARS. The only thing missing was Bill Raftery on the call since this was the Clark Kellogg era. Well, that and Hayward actually making it.
I still can't believe he missed it.
