Iowa basketball star Jordan Bohannon deliberately misses record shot to honour late player Chris Street

Not wanting to erase the late Street's longstanding free throw record, Bohannon pointed to the sky before deliberately leaving his attempt short

Jordan Bohannon was praised for his gesture of respect (Getty)

An Iowa Hawkeyes basketball player this weekend had the chance to break a team record for the highest number of consecutive free throws made in a single match – only to deliberately miss in an amazing gesture of respect.

Jordan Bohannon had made 34 straight free throws, and knew that one more would see him surpass the record held by the late Chris Street, who was killed in a car accident in 1993 just three days after writing his name into the history books.

But not wanting to erase Street’s record, Bohannon pointed to the sky before deliberately missing the throw, in a match Iowa eventually won 77-70.

“That record was not mine to have,” Bohannon said in a Big Ten Network interview after the game. “That record deserves to stay in his name.”

Bohannon said he has grown close with the Street family and explained that he deliberately left his throw short as a gesture of respect.

“I’ve been really close with his family these past couple years,” he added. “Getting to know them a lot and just listening to his story, honestly. It’s really got me emotional these past couple games because I’ve known what I wanted to do.

“Obviously it’s a different time than when I wanted to do it, but that’s something I wanted to do. Like I said, it’s been an honour to get to know his family.”

Bohannon embraced Street’s parents after the game, who said they were very grateful for the kind gesture.

“Christopher would want him to do to the best he could do and stay after it,” Mike told Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register.

“But that was Jordan’s decision, and if that’s what he wanted to do, then we appreciate it. We certainly in the future want him to get another shot at it.

“I told him, ‘Next time, you need to go right on by.’”