{
  "id": 19440613,
  "title": "Hardaway's blunt dunk advice after Almodovar's scary fall in loss to No. 22 Vanderbilt",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/hardaways-blunt-dunk-advice-after-almodovars-scary-fall-in-loss-to-no",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-11T03:53:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/hardaways-blunt-dunk-advice-almodovars-035306203.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Memphis coach Penny Hardaway offered solid advice to senior guard Luke Almodovar following his alarming fall during a loss to No. 22 Vanderbilt. The coach emphasized the importance of holding onto the rim when performing a dunk. \"You can't let that rim go,\" Hardaway stressed, \"Just the way he jumped, a lot of momentum going forward. You got to keep the rim, fell and kind of hit the back of his head. It’s an ugly fall, but just good to see him come back out on the court.\"\n\nThe incident occurred with 10:27 remaining in the game, which Memphis lost 105-81. Almodovar's dunk was impressive, but his awkward landing on his head sent shockwaves through the arena. He lay motionless on the court for a couple of minutes before getting assistance and heading to the locker room. After a brief time back on the bench, Almodovar was back in the game and contributed 21 points, including a game-high 21 points.\n\nThe severity of Almodovar's fall brought back unsettling memories for Vanderbilt senior Berke Büyüktuncel. The transfer, who played at Nebraska and UCLA, recalled a similar incident where a teammate choked on his tongue. Büyüktuncel expressed relief that Almodovar was unharmed and hoped he would recover quickly for future games.",
  "summary": "(AP) — Memphis coach Penny Hardaway had one crucial piece of advice for senior guard Luke Almodovar after slamming backward onto the court at Memorial Gym on Tuesday night. Hold onto the rim when throwing down a dunk.",
  "key_points": [
    "Penny Hardaway advised Luke Almodovar to hold onto the rim during dunks.",
    "Almodovar's fall resulted in an ugly head injury during a 105-81 loss.",
    "Almodovar returned to the game after a brief time, scoring 21 points."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Hardaway’s emphasis on rim control highlights how physical momentum during high-impact plays can transform impressive athletic feats into dangerous risks for players on the court.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}