Highest Shooting Percentage Over A 24-Hour Basketball Shooting Marathon

United States

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West Roxbury, Massachusetts, United States / April 9, 2011

Mike Slonina made 5,930 successful shots in 24 hours from multiple places on the basketball court, sinking 73.2% of his total throws successfully. He set the record to raise funds for his mother and Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital. Mike currently runs an organization called A Shot For Life, Inc. which raises money for brain cancer research. Read more about the feat here.

- must take at least an equal amount of shots from beyond the free throw line as at the free throw line
- may not use any performance enhancer drugs
- may take small breaks in the case of treating an injury
- must take at least as many three-point shots as with the free throw shots
- must follow form of current world record holder
- must provide video evidence

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Tags: mostsportsbasketballshootingcourt

Comments
  • United States Corey Henderson

    I love this, but I am a little confused about the "every spot on the basketball court" part. Can you clarify what that means?

    • United States Mike Slonina

      Hi Corey, first of all thank you! Secondly "Every spot on the floor" refers to the fact that hundreds and hundreds of shots were taken from everywhere on the floor meaning far beyond the three point line, the three point line, and the mid-range area. Basically it just means that I did not camp out in one spot. There were some free throws taken but not many. Overall in the 24 hours of shooting I shot 73.2% which has never been done in such a large time span, 20 of the 24 hours were with a torn wrist as well. Hope I answered your question!

    • Canada Dan Rollman

      Hi Mike.

      While your feat is tremendous and inspiring, I agree with Corey that "every spot on the floor" is an impossible-to-define concept.

      The clear option would be to just change the category to Most Basketball Shots Made in 24 Hours, but as I'm sure you're aware, Guinness has recognized a much higher mark for three-pointers (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-basketball-three-pointers-in-24-hours).

      As such, I unfortunately vote that this record submission be denied.

    • United States Mike Slonina

      Hi Dan, I understand your point but my argument is that my feat is not impossible to define. Shots were taken from the free throw line, the three point line, and the mid-range area. Moving around the floor is what makes this attempt unique.

    • United States Mike Slonina

      It is just a different record entirely. Staying in one spot allows a different kind of rhythm to be established which is beneficial to a shooter. I'm not demeaning what he accomplished, it's incredible, but it's just not the same record it's a different category entirely. It would be like comparing home runs to doubles in baseball and then combining them both to just be "hits". It's just two completely different things. Or comparing tee-shots to puts, etc. If you watch the video connected to this record, I think it may help explain "Every spot on the floor" to be less abstract than it may originally seem. Also, 20 of the 24 hours were with a torn wrist which the link in the description alludes to.

    • United States Mike Slonina

      Also, the original record I submitted was a 73.2% shooting percentage from all over the floor over 24 consecutive hours. Meaning I didn't stay in one region, get comfortable, and make every shot. During the fourth hour I tore my wrist and did the next 20 1/2 hours really unable to bend my wrist at all. It was changed to 5,930 made shots after submission but that wasn't the original record I put it. That also is a record however because the shots came from all over the floor, not just from one region.

    • Canada Dan Rollman

      Mike, there is no question that what you achieved is extraordinary. As a basketball fan, I was extremely wowed. That said, I still question whether "multiple spots on the court" is a parameter that can be fairly judged in the future.

      What if I stood within one foot of the basket and took shots alternating from the left and right of the net for 24 hours? Would that be legitimate? If not, what breadth of locations would be necessary in order for my attempt to be valid?

      Regarding your baseball analogy, I think it's fair to equate a home run to a three-point shot, and a double to a two-point shot. If someone swatted 10,000 home runs in 24 hours and called it "Most Home Runs in 24 Hours", I don't think someone should be able to hit 5,000 doubles in 24 hours and call it "Most Hits in 24 Hours."

      I'd love to help frame this accomplishment as a record (ie. Most Basketball Shots Made in 24 Hours by a 21-Year Old), but I just struggle to see how "Multiple Spots" can be fairly quantified.

    • United States Mike Slonina

      I shot from every three point spot, every wing, and so forth but I get your point. My original record submission was "Highest shooting percentage from all over the floor over 24 consecutive hours" which was 73.2% which still holds up with that other world record you showed me. It was changed to most made shots when it was accepted.

      I was 18 at the time of setting the record and did so with a nerve damaged ankle as well if that matters at all.

      Also, while he made those threes, he may not have made the free throws, the mid range jumpers, etc. He may have, but maybe not. Regardless, that's not what he did and it is what I did.

    • United States Mike Slonina

      Also if you guys wanted to change it to the percentage one one of the rules would be that the shooter must take at least 8,000 shots since I shot 8,001. Shooting from different locations over the 24 hours would set it apart from any other. This is significant because if you stand in one spot you can catch a rhythm and just keep making shots whereas if you are forced to move around you must adapt while not letting your percentage plummet which is extremely difficult. There are people who have shot free throws for 24 hours and the one you showed me about the threes but they wouldn't have been forced to adapt like I was.

    • United States Mike Slonina

      And going back to the baseball analogy. If you can hit a home run you can hit a double, that's hand eyed coordination and power. But basketball is a precision sport involving far more touch than is required swinging a bat. Not all good three point shooters are good mid-range and free throw shooters. Not all good free throw shooters are good three point shooters. Some people really struggle with a mid-range jump shot. It's just completely different. But again, the percentage from all over the floor was what I was originally going for. "All over the floor" can be quantifiable as well and can be put into the rules to make it breakable. This way it is not abstract and has numbers that are clearly defined.

      8,000 shot minimum can be broken down as follows:

      2,500 NBA threes (minimum) 2,000 high school range threes (minimum) 2,000 mid range jump shots (minimum) 1,500 free throws (minimum)

      Which was approximate of what happened. I actually took more NBA threes than that but I'm not sure if any of the publicity on it specifically states it so I knocked it down a bit.

    • United States Mike Slonina

      And going back to the baseball analogy to make my point about the percentage:

      Just because someone can hit home runs does not mean they can lay down a perfect bunt to both sides. It does not mean that they can hit specific markers laid out on the field, etc. It's a different skill, and impressive one, but different. Shooting 73.2% taking that volume of shots from that many different locations makes this record unique and different. Standing in one spot allows you to find your best spot and go crazy but for my record I moved everywhere, including the places I was not as comfortable. Also, the numbers in the post above make it quantifiable and breakable.

    • Canada Dan Rollman

      Mike, based on the thread above (great conversation, btw), we are going to resolve by changing the record to:

      Highest Shooting Percentage Over a 24-Hour Basketball Shooting Marathon

      One of the key rules will be: "must take at least 8,000 shots within a 24-hour period."

      I hope that seems fair and accurate. We believe it does.

    • United States Mike Slonina

      Completely! That's actually what I was originally going for! Are you going to use the location minimum's that I outlined? That's how I did it so I feel like that would be an appropriate way to set it apart and it would provide a future format.

      Thanks for hearing me out Dan I appreciate it.

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