For most NBA players, winning a game in the fashion Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus did Tuesday would constitute the shot of a lifetime.
After all, Strus’s 60-foot three-pointer against the Dallas Mavericks was nothing short of the second-longest buzzer beater of the three-point era.
However, as astute observers pointed out Wednesday morning, the shot was not even the longest game-winner of Strus’s basketball career.
On Jan. 16, 2016, Strus’s Division II college team—Lewis University of Romeoville, Ill.—was tied 68-68 with the University of Missouri-St. Louis with 2.7 seconds to play. Strus swiped the Tritons’ inbound pass, turned toward the opposing basket, and heaved the ball approximately 70 feet through the net as time expired.
Pretty wild that last night’s shot was not the longest game-winner of Max Strus’ basketball life. pic.twitter.com/7oqwtF3OsD
— Taco Trey Kerby (@treykerby) February 28, 2024
As Strus pointed out, that shot was showcased on ESPN when it happened.
Strus eventually moved on to greener pastures, playing two years for DePaul before catching on in the NBA. His reputation for precision, clutch three-point shooting, however, has followed him everywhere.
