What does the term Bricklayer mean?

Real Madrid's Sergio Llull, right, jumps to score as Fenerbahce's Nikola Kalinic defends during their Final Four Euroleague semifinal basketball match at Sinan Erdem Dome in Istanbul, Friday, May 19, 2017

What is it?

A derisive term for a basketball player who constantly misses shot attempts, often spectacularly. It can be a long-term thing: the player just doesn’t have the skill to make baskets. Or a short-term affliction: the shooter is going through a mental slump.

What’s the origin?

Skilled shooters have that most intangible of qualities: touch. Even off-target shots are so soft they bounce right in. A shooter without touch throws ‘bricks’ – noisy misses that clang off the rim – and is, therefore, a ‘bricklayer’. Not a hint of softness there.

What causes it?

The hands not working together. Ideally, the left goes under the ball (for right-handed shooters) and takes care of elevation; the right handles distance and direction. But when the left doesn’t do its work, the right over-compensates and forces the shot.

Are there any notable bricklayers?

Former US President Barack Obama, who loves playing basketball, was once filmed shooting 20 bricks, at a promotional event for Obamacare. (The video is on YouTube, if you’re interested). The jokes that followed were, unsurprisingly, merciless.