Watch basketball player sinks shots from over 80 feet
Watch basketball player sinks shots from over 80 feet as Egyptian national team athlete Alie Wessam, 21, broke two Guinness World Records in a single day—including one held by a Harlem Globetrotter—with an 82-foot-10-inch hook shot and a 90-foot-6-inch backwards basket that topped the prior mark.
Key Takeaways
- Alie Wessam, 21, of Egypt broke two Guinness World Records in one gym session.
- His farthest hook shot measured 82 feet 10 inches.
- His farthest backwards shot measured 90 feet 6 inches.
- The backwards record had belonged to Harlem Globetrotter Corey "Thunder" Law at 87 feet 8 inches (2024).
- Video of the attempts circulated with coverage from Guinness World Records Arabia.
The feat, reported by UPI on July 16, 2026, is the kind of long-range spectacle that fits right alongside other wild sports moments in our Bizarre News & Florida Man coverage.
How far did the record basketball shots travel?
According to Guinness World Records, Wessam tackled two distance categories on the same day: the farthest basketball hook shot and the farthest basketball shot made backwards.
He locked in the hook-shot mark from 82 feet and 10 inches. He then connected on a backwards attempt from 90 feet and 6 inches—both well past the 80-foot threshold that made the clip go viral.
Landing either make from that far out leaves almost no margin for error, especially when the shooter is facing away from the rim on the backwards attempt.
Whose Harlem Globetrotters record did he break?
Wessam’s backwards shot topped the previous Guinness mark held by Harlem Globetrotters star Corey "Thunder" Law. Law had set the record at 87 feet and 8 inches in 2024.
By clearing that distance by nearly three feet, the Egyptian player took a title long associated with Globetrotters showmanship and put a national-team name on the books instead.
UPI noted that the hook-shot record was part of the same session, underscoring how ambitious the dual attempt was rather than a one-off lucky bounce.
What did Alie Wessam say after the records fell?
Wessam, who has played for the Egyptian National Basketball Team, told Guinness World Records the moment felt unreal because he grew up watching the Globetrotters.
"It's an incredible feeling. I've watched the Harlem Globetrotters since I was a child, so breaking one of their records is something I never imagined would happen," he said.
He added that he still respects what the Globetrotters have done, but as a competitor he wants to keep pushing further—and would love to challenge more of their records in the future.
Where can you watch the record-breaking shots?
Footage shared through Guinness World Records Arabia shows the gym attempts that backed the claims. UPI's Odd News report also framed the story as a "Watch" clip for readers who want the visual proof of both makes.
For fans of improbable athletic stunts, the takeaway is simple: the records were measured, verified under Guinness categories, and captured on camera—not just locker-room lore about a lucky bounce.