Oh, we’re always glad to relive this moment.
Kawhi Leonard’s Game 7 buzzer-beater against the Philadelphia 76ers already goes down as one of the best plays in NBA history, and it was also a ridiculously photogenic moment with so much hanging in the balance during those four bounces on the rim.
Now, photographer Mark Blinch’s shot of The Shot will be immortalized. His photo of Kawhi’s reaction — yeah, you know the one — was awarded with the Best Sports Photo award by World Press Photo, one of the most prestigious photojournalism organizations in the business.
While it was almost torturous then, that high-arcing jumper from the corner and those four bounces on the rim was definitely a picture-perfect encapsulation of the drama in sports... and we’re just happy that it went the Raptors’ way in the end.
We’ve seen this photo everywhere, from t-shirts to murals and more, so it’s definitely great to see the photographer receive some respect for it as well. Put some respect on Mark Blinch’s name, everyone!
In addition to shooting for the NBA as well a variety of news organizations, Blinch is also the in-house team photographer of the Maple Leafs, and they showed some love as well.
