LaMarcus Aldridge’s turnaround jumper is one of the most lethal moves in the NBA

Some players in the NBA have certain signature moves that just can’t be stopped, even if a defender is anticipating. Spurs stars have had several of those over the years — Tim Duncan’s bank shot, Tony Parker’s teardrop, and Manu Ginobili’s Euro-step are just a few — and they currently have another player with one of the most stoppable moves in the league.

In a list of the NBA’s most lethal signature moves, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report included LaMarcus Aldridge’s Turnaround Jumper. Here’s what he had to say:

The post-up technician is in danger of extinction these days, but LaMarcus Aldridge is doing what he can to prolong the species’ survival.

Aldridge loves the left side of the floor, and he’s long been gifted at exploiting opponents’ tendencies to deny big men a path to the middle of the lane on post-ups. It makes sense; you don’t want a right-handed player effectively driving middle with his strong hand.

After a few probing bumps to find his balance (and shake the defender’s), Aldridge can quickly shimmy toward his left shoulder before reversing course and turning over his right toward the baseline. With a high release and a little backward body lean, he can get his favorite shot off against the rangiest big men:

Anyone without the requisite length has no chance to bother his feathery, all-wrist release:

Aldridge led the league with 7.0 post-ups per game this past season. Among players who employed that old-school tactic at least 2.5 times per game, only Jonas Valanciunas and Joel Embiid scored more efficiently. Neither operated as far from the bucket as Aldridge, though. His post-ups frequently yielded mid-range jumpers, another throwback element the veteran big man is keeping alive.

Effectiveness is an important part of a signature move, but the real defining feature is how inextricably a certain motion or shot type is tied to a player’s identity. When you think of Aldridge, you imagine him shooting that trusty right-shoulder turnaround before anything else.

It’s just who he is.

As Spurs fans can attest from both his time on the team and as an opponent: when Aldridge’s shot is falling, he’s one of the most unstoppable players in the NBA.