Why do Howard, Lebron, Wade, Bosh, Stoudamire, Carter...have free throw percentage at 80% or less? That's one out of every 5 shots missed. Do they not practice enough? I mean, if they just throw it against the backboard right above the rim, then the ball should go in every single time. And Howard's free throw percentage is just horrendous. Why do big guys usually suck really bad at free throws? I know it's not size, because Yao is among the top.
This is one thing that always baffles my mind. Forget a superstar, every single NBA player should be shooting over 80% from the free throw line. If you are not, it just means you don't care enough to practice. Imagine if Shaq in his prime was able to shoot over 80%. He might have been avg. 40 ppg some seasons.
i heard hand size has alot to do with it (shaq and rondo) but I think it's mental more than anything else
League average for FT's is about 75%. As long as those guys are in the ball park they probably don't put too much stock into improving that skill. FT's are all muscle memory and a lot of big men by virtue of their shot selection never develop it. A FT is the same form as a normal jump shot just not getting off the ground. Being around the rim, they tend to dunk, lay up or shoot hook shots. So big men don't get a lot of practice with free throw shooting form unless they specifically work on it.
^^This. Practice can make you a decent FT shooter even if you don't have good shooting touch. Size shouldn't be an excuse. Some years ago someone gave me a set of those nerf hoops. I practiced with it and could make over 80% "free throws" from 10 ft out. The only obstacle for good free throw shooting should be mental, not mechanical.
Some players should be better at free throws than they are. Kevin Martin has all kinds of irregular mechanics but makes its work. You want to think its mental or a preparation thing, cuz how have 3 point % and dunking skyrocketed but free throws havent? Still, league wide free throw shooting has NOT gotten WORSE. Its been the SAME constant 75% area for decades. So its not like this current generation is "slacking" more than others, they just havent been the ones to take the FT art to the next level.
These guys shoot free throws all day long. Ever had millions of people watching you shoot? It changes things a little bit. Get it out of you head that you could shoot 80-90% in the NBA just because you can do it in your backyard. Shaq shoots 95% in practice.
LMAO that some of you think that since you can hit 90% in your backyard, these guys should all be shooting that. James Jones was on the radio a while back and casually said that he's hit 80 3's in a row when practicing, but it's a little different in a game. If you ever watch Shaq practice free throws, he nails pretty much all of them. It's very different in a game when all the pressure is on and your body is going through varying degrees of fatigue.
Run 10 court lengths and shoot a couple free throws. Then run 10 more and shoot another couple free throws. Fatigue is a HUGE issue.
Freethrows in practice don't give points in a game. Big difference playing to win an actual game and for practice.
