Jason Kapono's Release Is So Quick It's Illegal

No, really. According to the NBA's rule book, there must be at least 0.3 seconds left on the clock for a player to be allowed to attempt a jump shot. If there's less time on the clock, a team can only score by converting a tip-in or alley-oop from the in-bounds pass. It says so right here.

The idea, I suppose, is that it's literally impossible for a human being to catch and release in three-tenths of a second. But if that's true ... then Jason Kapono simply isn't human. From Eric Pincus of HOOPSWORLD:

I also chatted with Jordan Farmar about his appearance on the television program "Sports Science" in which he fed a pass to Jason Kapono - who was able to hit the shot in just .22 seconds. The NBA rule says a player can't catch and shoot in less than .3 seconds but Kapono was able to get it done. Farmar said they should change the rule, they proved it! He also said it Kapono did it on his second shot. The first was over .3 seconds after which they analyzed his release, worked with a coach and then hit it at .22 on the very next try.

That's freaking awesome -- and if seeing is believing for you, you can watch it on YouTube. I can't imagine many players being able to pull this off in a game situation -- it'd have to be the perfect pass and the perfect release, not to mention the ball actually going through the hoop -- but Farmar has a point: if someone can do it, it's time to change the rules.