UCLA's 7'3 hooper Aday Mara impresses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with Lakers legend's signature move

UCLA's 7'3 big man Aday Mara impressed NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with his signature move when the Bruins took on Ohio State on Sunday. Mara pulled out an old-fashioned hook shot, which Kareem made famous during his playing days.

Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) starred with UCLA from 1966-69, winning the national championship in his three years in college. Using his unstoppable hook shot, notably the Sky Hook, Kareem became the leading scorer in NBA history. However, he has since been surpassed by LeBron James.

Abdul-Jabbar showed his approval courtside to Aday Mara's impressive move down in the post. You can watch the clip below.

From the footage there's little doubt that Kareem approved of the sophomore's move, possibly reminding him of himself as he did it.

Aday Mara and the UCLA Bruins get the win over Ohio State in front of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

The UCLA Bruins went on to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes, 69-61. Andy Mara contributed 10 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks off the bench.

The UCLA Bruins once again showed that strong defense wins games. They held the Buckeyes to just 32% shooting from the field and 22% on 3-pointers.

Another big reason for their success was rebounding. Going into the game, UCLA was one of the weaker teams in this area, averaging only 32.1 rebounds per game. However, they stepped up in a big way, grabbing 45 total rebounds, 30 on defense and 15 on offense, much to the delight of their home crowd.

Senior guard Kobe Johnson has been the Bruins’ top rebounder all season, averaging 5.7 rebounds per game. He had an outstanding performance against Ohio State, pulling down 13 rebounds.

Aday Mara and sophomore guard Eric Dailey Jr. were also key contributors on the boards. Mara finished just one rebound short of a double-double, while Dailey grabbed eight rebounds and led the team in scoring with 20 points in 33 minutes.

UCLA’s rebounding made a big difference, especially since their offense was below its usual standard. Despite shooting only 40.4% from the field, the Bruins’ strong defense kept Ohio State to just 61 points, helping them secure the win.

With the season winding down, Aday Mara and the Bruins will need to maintain their defensive intensity to finish in the top five of the Big Ten. While this victory was important, they now have to focus on their upcoming game against Purdue later this week.