London Lightning alum’s jump stuns NBA rivals, fans: ‘Amazing’

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A former London Lightning star made one of the most improbable NBA plays you will ever see.

Xavier Moon, a 6-foot guard with the Los Angeles Clippers, won a jump ball against 7-foot-4 Houston Rockets centre Boban Marjanovic in a hoops version of the David and Goliath story on Sunday in Los Angeles.

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“It doesn’t surprise me,” London GM Mark Frijia said. “Moon’s vertical is over 40 inches.”

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The 29-year-old Moon played for London in the National Basketball League of Canada in 2018-19 and during the 2019-20 season that was shortened by COVID-19. He became a three-time MVP for the Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League and signed a contract with the Clippers’ G-League affiliate.

On Sunday, Moon started in place of the injured James Harden and scored 14 points with six rebounds in 46 minutes on the floor. The Clippers didn’t win the game but he still had his viral moment with one of the game’s biggest men.

The jump ball elicit shocked laughter from Houston players on the opposing bench.

“He won the tip,” the game’s shocked play-by-play announcer shouted. “Oh my goodness.”

On social media, fans expressed appreciation for Moon’s athleticism.

“This is amazing,” one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter, while another wrote: “Do you believe in miracles?”

The unforgettable jump ball occurred with roughly four minutes left in the game, which Houston ultimately won, 116-105. Moon and the Clippers have a 51-31 record this season, good for fourth place in the NBA’s Western Conference with the playoffs set to begin this week.

rpyette@postmedia.com

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