How SI Captured NBA Stars’ Every Move During a Game

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Heading into last year’s NBA playoffs, SI hoped to capture the unprecedented feel of the 2020–21 season in a way that told a unique story. With largely empty arenas for most of the season and COVID-19-related restrictions limiting photographers’ abilities to diversify their shots, SI had to get creative.

Back in May 2003, SI published a picture from a photographer named Trent Nelson of the Salt Lake Tribune for a multipage spread focused on one game in the final season played by legendary Jazz guard John Stockton. Out of more than a thousand, 79 images were picked to create a composite illustration that showed where Stockton was on the court at each specific moment.

Due in part to some conditions caused by the pandemic, SI updated this idea 18 years later in the May 2021 issue. For example, consistent backgrounds without fans created an opportunity for cleaner composites compared to what was published in 2003.

SI had to get special permission from the Grizzlies, Mavericks and Wizards to hang remote cameras in their stadiums because remote cameras were normally off-limits due to COVID-19 protocols. Photographer David E. Klutho focused on Ja Morant in Memphis, Greg Nelson photographed Luka Dončić in Dallas, and Simon Bruty followed then Wizards guard Russell Westbrook.

To make the best possible final product, only certain images could be used. For example, images where defenders may have blocked a complete view of the player the photographer was following couldn’t be used. Bruty originally was going to try to capture Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo during a game in D.C., but because of constant double teams and the way Antetokounmpo tends to play in traffic, Westbrook ended up working out much better for the project.

Dan Larkin, SI’s director of premedia, then layered all the selected images of the specific players into one composite to show how the players moved throughout a game.

The results, when paired with their stats for that game and movement data from the NBA, tell three unique stories over the course of a six-page spread. When looking closely at each composite, you can find some interesting things. For example, in the bottom-right corner of Morant’s spread two images were combined to make it seem as if Morant was actually defending his own shot. In reality, Morant’s contest and jumper came at two different times in the game but in virtually the same spot.

With Dončić, the consistency of his shooting form stands out. You can see the repetitive nature of his jump shot in the superimposed images that Greg Nelson took. Seeing such similar pictures appear to be copy-and-pasted all around the court creates an appreciation for the young star’s consistency.

In contrast to Morant and Dončić, Westbrook’s composite stands out for his range of activity. Known for his on-court energy, that’s reflected in Bruty’s images. Westbrook can be seen shooting, dunking, rebounding, passing, pointing and driving, showcasing the versatility of his game.

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