above the rim

Prepositional phrase

 * 1)  [handing the ball] higher than the rim of the basket (such as during a slam dunk or alley oop)
 * 2)  at a high level of excellence
 * 3) * 1995 June, Lloyd Ward, quoted in Lloyd Gite, "Playing Above the Rim" Black Enterprise p. 214
 * I believe in playing above the rim on the court, and in my career.
 * 1) * 2004 Eileen N. Gilligan, Competing for News: Reporter's Use of Competition and Cooperation in the Production of News (Thesis, University of Wisconsin–Madison) p. 122
 * Who can tell the fabric of state government stories better? Who can tell those fabric stories first? And who can do what I call playing above the rim, which is you're in such close contact with legislators and state officials that you can stay ahead of the news.
 * 1) * 2021 February 16, Shawn Jefferson, quoted in Darren Urban, "Shawn Jefferson's Padded Resumé For Coaching Receivers" azcardinals.com
 * Jefferson, who once coached new Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson in Detroit, said ﻿DeAndre Hopkins﻿ is "probably the only one in the league I can compare to Calvin right now, has the skillset Calvin had, playing above the rim and in those competitive situations coming down with the ball."
 * Who can tell the fabric of state government stories better? Who can tell those fabric stories first? And who can do what I call playing above the rim, which is you're in such close contact with legislators and state officials that you can stay ahead of the news.
 * 1) * 2021 February 16, Shawn Jefferson, quoted in Darren Urban, "Shawn Jefferson's Padded Resumé For Coaching Receivers" azcardinals.com
 * Jefferson, who once coached new Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson in Detroit, said ﻿DeAndre Hopkins﻿ is "probably the only one in the league I can compare to Calvin right now, has the skillset Calvin had, playing above the rim and in those competitive situations coming down with the ball."

Usage notes
Usually as a complement of