7 ms·

I don't believe that's necessarily the case. Free-throw shooting is a chance to develop your shot rhythm because the mechanics and form are similar to your shot

I don't believe that's necessarily the case. Free-throw shooting is a chance to develop your shot rhythm because the mechanics and form are similar to your shot during the game. There's a benefit to shooting free throws the same way you shoot jumpers. If you use the underhand technique you relinquish that advantage. not to mention you must learn a new way of shooting entirely.

philwelch 14y ago
Except: 1. It's already different because you can't jump with a free throw. 2. A lot of players seem to have no trouble handling both an ordinary jump shot and also a hook shot. 3. Even players who never take normal jump shots and have atrocious free throw ability never switch to the underhand style.
- randall 14y ago
  FWIW, you actually can jump for a free throw but it's sort of tradition that people don't. The people who suck at freethrows normally have comically large hands which makes shooting from any sort of distance difficult. (Shaq, Dwight Howard, et. al.)
  - cujo 14y ago
    I'd really like to see some science behind this hand size -> bad free throw shooter statement. This is spouted all the time, and everyone likes to point out Dwight and Shaq. People seem to forget that Kareem, Yao Ming, and Shawn Bradley all shot pretty well from the foul line and were all significantly taller (and I'm guessing at least comparable hand size). Now I'll admit that it is easy to cherry pick players on both sides of the argument, and players at the center position historically have lower free throw averages, but my instinct says that it has less to do with hand size and more to do with their shooting style/habits/practice. Watch videos of Dwight shoot free throws. His shot is far from what anyone would call smooth. Now go watch Yao Ming shoot free throws. Smooth as butta. When Dwight's shot looks like that and he's still chucking up bricks, I'll give more credence to the size argument.
  - eropple 14y ago
    I don't know about hand size having anything to do with it, but I do know that Wilt Chamberlain used to dunk his free throws in college before a rule change disallowed it.
  - alanfang 14y ago
    Not jumping for free throws isn't just a tradition. Jump shots sacrifice accuracy to make it more difficult for defensive players to block your shot. There's no risk of your shot being blocked for a free throw so players don't jump.
    - philwelch 14y ago
      If there's no risk of your shot being blocked for a free throw there's no reason to shoot overhand, either.
      - eropple 14y ago
        It's an easier motion for most people who've become accustomed to shooting that way, though.
  - philwelch 14y ago
    Which is why instead of having a dunk and an ineffective overhand free throw, they'd be better off having a dunk and a less ineffective underhand free throw. But guys like Shaq and Dwight Howard are too "macho" for that, so they cost their team points.
- cujo 14y ago
  I disagree with your second point. Most players who shot a normal jump shot well are not the type of players who shoot a hook shot well. And your third point makes me wary. I'm not sure who these normal jump shooters are that have atrocious free throw percentages. They definitely don't seem to be the majority.
  - philwelch 14y ago
    Read my third point more closely. I said players who "never take normal jump shots and have atrocious free throw percentages". I think you can figure out the guy I'm talking about.
- intellegacy 14y ago
  To point 1: Your argument leaves out forwards and centers who frequently shoot set shots during the game without jumping. Also, my point still stands: the form is similar enough because they can practice their elbow, release, spin, and arc mechanics - all similar to a jump shot. 2. Yes, but some players don't have hook shots at all. It's another shot you have to learn. Granted, with the amount of time NBA players spend practicing, they probably could learn another shot easily. 3. I agree with you here. These players should switch. But reputation and ego get in the way; it will take a player of influence to break through the "underhand free throw" barrier.
  - philwelch 14y ago
    The last player who did break through that barrier currently holds the NBA career record for free throw percentage. He retired in 1980. And he didn't have a bad jump shot, either. Food for thought.
    - intellegacy 14y ago
      Well I've heard about underhand technique and read about the science behind it. And I assume the player you refer to is Rick Barry, although he doesn't hold the NBA career record for FT % anymore. I also watched this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4eJSjwlD5o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4eJSjwlD5o One thing to keep in mind is that even though Rick Barry achieved a 90% percentage, who's to say that others could achieve the same? The 90% number gets touted a lot but the number is from a sample size of 1, and from a great player to boot. Shaq could have improved his free throw percentage, maybe by 10 to 20% but I doubt he'd ever get to 90%. Anyways, I agree that any free throw shooter in the 40-60% range should adopt the technique if at least to try it out. It'll probably take years to perfect however.

philwelch 14y ago

Except: 1. It's already different because you can't jump with a free throw. 2. A lot of players seem to have no trouble handling both an ordinary jump shot and also a hook shot. 3. Even players who never take normal jump shots and have atrocious free throw ability never switch to the underhand style.

randall 14y ago
FWIW, you actually can jump for a free throw but it's sort of tradition that people don't. The people who suck at freethrows normally have comically large hands which makes shooting from any sort of distance difficult. (Shaq, Dwight Howard, et. al.)
- cujo 14y ago
  I'd really like to see some science behind this hand size -> bad free throw shooter statement. This is spouted all the time, and everyone likes to point out Dwight and Shaq. People seem to forget that Kareem, Yao Ming, and Shawn Bradley all shot pretty well from the foul line and were all significantly taller (and I'm guessing at least comparable hand size). Now I'll admit that it is easy to cherry pick players on both sides of the argument, and players at the center position historically have lower free throw averages, but my instinct says that it has less to do with hand size and more to do with their shooting style/habits/practice. Watch videos of Dwight shoot free throws. His shot is far from what anyone would call smooth. Now go watch Yao Ming shoot free throws. Smooth as butta. When Dwight's shot looks like that and he's still chucking up bricks, I'll give more credence to the size argument.
- eropple 14y ago
  I don't know about hand size having anything to do with it, but I do know that Wilt Chamberlain used to dunk his free throws in college before a rule change disallowed it.
- alanfang 14y ago
  Not jumping for free throws isn't just a tradition. Jump shots sacrifice accuracy to make it more difficult for defensive players to block your shot. There's no risk of your shot being blocked for a free throw so players don't jump.
  - philwelch 14y ago
    If there's no risk of your shot being blocked for a free throw there's no reason to shoot overhand, either.
    - eropple 14y ago
      It's an easier motion for most people who've become accustomed to shooting that way, though.
- philwelch 14y ago
  Which is why instead of having a dunk and an ineffective overhand free throw, they'd be better off having a dunk and a less ineffective underhand free throw. But guys like Shaq and Dwight Howard are too "macho" for that, so they cost their team points.
cujo 14y ago
I disagree with your second point. Most players who shot a normal jump shot well are not the type of players who shoot a hook shot well. And your third point makes me wary. I'm not sure who these normal jump shooters are that have atrocious free throw percentages. They definitely don't seem to be the majority.
- philwelch 14y ago
  Read my third point more closely. I said players who "never take normal jump shots and have atrocious free throw percentages". I think you can figure out the guy I'm talking about.
intellegacy 14y ago
To point 1: Your argument leaves out forwards and centers who frequently shoot set shots during the game without jumping. Also, my point still stands: the form is similar enough because they can practice their elbow, release, spin, and arc mechanics - all similar to a jump shot. 2. Yes, but some players don't have hook shots at all. It's another shot you have to learn. Granted, with the amount of time NBA players spend practicing, they probably could learn another shot easily. 3. I agree with you here. These players should switch. But reputation and ego get in the way; it will take a player of influence to break through the "underhand free throw" barrier.
- philwelch 14y ago
  The last player who did break through that barrier currently holds the NBA career record for free throw percentage. He retired in 1980. And he didn't have a bad jump shot, either. Food for thought.
  - intellegacy 14y ago
    Well I've heard about underhand technique and read about the science behind it. And I assume the player you refer to is Rick Barry, although he doesn't hold the NBA career record for FT % anymore. I also watched this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4eJSjwlD5o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4eJSjwlD5o One thing to keep in mind is that even though Rick Barry achieved a 90% percentage, who's to say that others could achieve the same? The 90% number gets touted a lot but the number is from a sample size of 1, and from a great player to boot. Shaq could have improved his free throw percentage, maybe by 10 to 20% but I doubt he'd ever get to 90%. Anyways, I agree that any free throw shooter in the 40-60% range should adopt the technique if at least to try it out. It'll probably take years to perfect however.