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Come Fan with UsTuesday, June 23, 2026

John Wall’s free throw defied gravity and bounced on the rim for an eternity

Gravity always wins eventually, though.

Early in the game between the Cavaliers and Wizards on Wednesday, referees were forced to replace the basketball after players pointed out that it wasn't filled to the right air pressure. Surely nothing else weird would happen with the ball after that, right?

Enter one of the most bizarre free throws you’ve ever seen:

Usually when the ball goes up toward the rim, you can depend on the power of gravity to bring it back down toward the ground. That probably explains why Kevin Love, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert intensely stare at the ball as it defies one of nature's laws to settle on the back of the rim for several seconds before finally succumbing to the pull of the planets.

I assume that counts as a miss, but we should probably give John Wall five points because this looks way harder than just making the basket.

Here’s another look at the play accompanied by some horrific laughing of unknown origin, possibly coming from a way-too-excited Shumpert (although we may just be dreaming that):

UPDATE: Shumpert has confirmed that was indeed him laughing during the play:

We know it’s all about the details, Iman.

* * *

SB Nation presents: Isaiah Thomas watches a jump ball because he’s too short to win

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