I still haven’t seen the video. I don’t know if I want to.
I don’t know if I want to force myself to judge it through the same lens as every other highlight-reel play I’ve seen in my life.
I don’t want to ruin it. I mean, maybe – maybe – it’s not the greatest play ever. But I don’t have to find that out.
Someone else will compare it to dozens of other incredible feats and rank it among the day’s top plays.
I don’t want to compare – how can you compare this to an explosive NBA dunk or an intricate NHL goal? Or the Packers’ game-winner that’s surely going to be the top play on “SportsCenter.”
There might be more impressive feats of athleticism, plays that are more entertaining as pure highlights.
But this was different.
Maybe it’s just because I was there, or maybe it’s because I happened to be holding a Prince Ali Fathead, but the freshman guard’s earth-shattering, second-half slam over Kentucky’s Alex Poythress felt like more than just a highlight.
It was a statement. Something changed when Ali threw down that dunk.
The crowd had been loud and involved all night but it felt like Bruin fans were just trying to enjoy the lead while it lasted.
Now, they believed. With one thunderous burst, Ali transformed UCLA from underdog to alpha dog.
READ MORE: Bruin Sports columnist Tanner Walters on what could be for UCLA.
UCLA had made plenty of flashy plays before Ali’s.
There was Tony Parker looking like his NBA namesake on the Bruins’ first offensive possession, Isaac Hamilton inbounding the ball of Tyler Ulis’ back, Thomas Welsh hammering the ball home over Skal Labissiere.
But those were mere plays, beautiful basketball sequences that are adequately captured on television.
The Ali dunk was a moment, an eruption of emotion that I’m sure isn’t done justice by the footage.
So I don’t want to see the video – it will be a letdown.
If this all feels like me saying “you had to be there,” that’s because it is. You did have to be there to understand that moment.
But if you weren’t there, you can watch the video. The moment might have been better, but the play was pretty good, too.
