They gave the basketball a backspin. What happened next will blow your mind

It's very common for players to use backspin when shooting the basketball, as this helps the basketball to dip down towards the basket instead of just flying over it. The backspin is created by the Magnus effect. As the ball spins, the air on top of the ball slows down, while the air under the ball moves faster. This causes the pressure on top of the ball to increase and helps to give the ball a nice curve.

In the video by Veritasium you can see the Magnus effect in action. A basketball is dropped off the Gordon Dam in Tasmania. First without backspin, and then with it. The difference between the two is incredible! Check out the video and be amazed! Read more.