Believe it or not, there was a period in NBA history when a highlight play was only for in-the-moment consumption. In 1961, you either occupied a seat at War Memorial Arena to see the Syracuse Nationals’ Johnny Kerr pull off a between-the-legs, 360 dunk on the head of Oscar Robertson, or you never were aware it took place. (That likely never happened, but you get my drift … we’ll never know.) Eventually, as technology advanced, you could catch that day’s highlight-reel moments on television for a short cycle before another batch took over the news.



Today, thanks to social media, rim-twisting dunks and ankle-breaking crossovers are forever at our fingertips. Their shelf life is dependent upon an uploader. And because of that never-ending reach, the present-day player is more conscious of the public embarrassment that comes with being on the wrong end of the spotlight. Posters are out of style. Looping videos and freeze-frame photos are the new...