Game-Changing Heroics Against Rip Hamilton Exposed 7x NBA Champ’s Condition that Kept Him Away From Golf

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The San Antonio Spurs might have had one less championship if it were not for Robert Horry’s dunk against Rip Hamilton, but there’s a story behind it that not many know. The dunk in discussion came in Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals. It was a clutch play, with 7x NBA champ Robert Horry scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, including a game-winning three-pointer. And the iconic play once again came into discussion on the recent episode of the Big Shot Bob podcast.

The discussion on the podcast started with Brandon Harper recalling Horry’s dunk against Rip Hamilton. Harper wanted to know if he had dislocated his shoulder during the dunk. As it turns out, Horry has had a really bad left shoulder. “If I extend it the wrong way, it’s like a stinger… And so I extended it too much… I barely got that dunk…” Horry revealed. The conversation, however, once again shifted to Harper’s initial doubt of Horry dislocating his shoulder against Rip Hamilton.

And that’s when the limitations of the 7x NBA champ kept him away from golf came to light. “I have a bad left shoulder. That’s the reason I don’t play golf… Most people can lift their arm like this.. This arm is as far as I can go… Push it up… That hurts,” Horry revealed while mimicking how he cannot move his arms for a golf swing. Now, before you ask why not go for surgery and get a permanent solution, Horry had the answer to this, too.

“The doctor said, ‘You can have surgery to clean it up, but there’s no guarantee it’s gonna. You’re gonna have the mobility.’ It’s the weirdest thing. I can do this all day if I’m shooting a basket and do this, but I can’t come across my body,” he added.

Robert Horry

However, it’s not as if the former San Antonio Spurs star has never held a club in his hand. But it has only occurred when he did it for a higher cause. “I’m not a big golfer… When I do play, it’s mostly in charity tournaments. I’m just getting prepared for when I retire. Golf is something that will keep me occupied,” he said in an interview with IGN. It seems, though, his condition never let him be prepared enough. However, there was much more he had to say about the sport.

Robert Horry’s true opinion of the game of Golf

You might know Horry as a clutch performer with seven NBA championships under his belt—but off the court, another game’s captured his attention. Surprisingly, it’s golf. Not on a real course, though. Horry’s love for the game begins in a different arena: video games. In an interview with IGN, the former Spurs forward shared that he’s a huge fan of gaming. And when it comes to favorites, one title stands above the rest.

“They (video games) keep you out of trouble… I probably play Tiger Woods the most ever since that series started a few years ago,” he said, pointing to just how often he’s reached for the virtual golf clubs. Now, don’t get it twisted—Horry admits he’s not exactly a regular on the greens in real life. But when the conversation turned to the sport beyond pixels and controllers, he had nothing but respect for it. So why does golf seem to resonate with so many pro athletes?

“I think the fact that it’s so challenging. Athletes love challenges, and golf is something you can never master. You can master videogames, you can master the Tiger Woods game, but you can never master the real game of golf. Plus, from back in the day, they always used to say that all of the best business deals were done out on a golf course, so I think that has a little bit to do with it…” he revealed.

Clearly, whether he’s behind a controller or just talking about the sport, Horry sees golf as more than just a game—it’s a lifelong challenge, a mental battleground, and maybe even a silent stage for business brilliance. Only if his condition allowed him to pick a club for real.

The post Game-Changing Heroics Against Rip Hamilton Exposed 7x NBA Champ’s Condition that Kept Him Away From Golf appeared first on EssentiallySports.

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