Free Throw Shooting in College Basketball/High School

[Auger]

A bit off topic from Iowa Basketball here but one thing I have noticed this season is just how bad a lot of college basketball players are at shooting free throws. I've also watched a few high school games so far in this early season and it seems as though they miss around 40% of their attempts. Serious question to you all, is FT shooting becoming a forgotten art in high school and college?

Back when I played HS b-ball my coach would make us shoot close to 100 FT's a practice and if you couldn't make at least 70% you were told to stay after practice and shoot another 100. He would work with each of us on our technique. Currently I play in a Tues/Thurs Noon pick-up game league. Yesterday a co-worker and I bet who could make more FT's. We set it at 50. I made 38 and he made 41. Now I'm not good and any kid playing college basketball or even high school ball would destroy me likely but FT shooting is not hard you just have to put in some basic work.

What are many of you that are more involved in youth/high school basketball seeing? Or are you seeing something different?

 

[Auger]

I will add one more thing. My sophomore year we were playing a big rival. I was fouled with only a couple secs left and went to the line to shoot 2. We just happened to be down 2. I made the first missed the 2nd and we lost by 1. This crushed me. Our coach who had always placed a huge importance on FT's inspired me to work hard and place importance on practicing FT's. I never was able to redeem myself in a situation like that again but I never shot below 80% the rest of my HS career. Those of you that have played HS or even college basketball did your coaches place a big importance on shooting FT's and do you think it's being stressed today? It was a big reason why we won state my JR year and why the other team lost in the final minute.

 

[ScoutRefugee]

I'll tell you something that bothers me. In games, after every free throw, the other players give the player at the stripe a pat or a hand slap. If my team is going to do that during games then they have to do it during FT shooting drills. Yet I never see any AAU or high school coaches make their players do it in practice. Why not?

 

[SSG T]

At the lower levels, there's no way to accurately compare eras. In the NBA, FT shooting is slightly (<1%) better now than the year I was born, 1969. I could only assume that holds true at lower levels also.

I don't think it's emphasized as much now as it was, which is why you would probably assume it was better then. However, I doubt reality matches perception.

 

[Auger]

At the lower levels, there's no way to accurately compare eras. In the NBA, FT shooting is slightly (<1%) better now than the year I was born, 1969. I could only assume that holds true at lower levels also.

I don't think it's emphasized as much now as it was, which is why you would probably assume it was better then. However, I doubt reality matches perception.

You might be right. I played on some pretty good HS teams and we were all good FT shooters because of the coaching so I guess I can't look at my experience as being the norm. It seems today its more or less left up to the players to work on FT's themselves. Good teams typically have plenty of good FT shooters and at times add 5 - 10 pts a game more than their opponents at the line. Iowa has a few guys on their roster that barely shoot over 50% from the line. You see this on a lot of mid-level to upper mid-level teams so I guess it depends on the quality of teams you're watching. However if you can't hit at least 65% of your FT's at the college level you need to be putting in some work and its probably an area of your game you have been neglecting.

 

[ZumaHawk]

When I coached.......we made free throws a drill. It's much easier to step up to the line & shoot 25 or 50 in a row. I feel for you Auger and honestly it is so much harder to make the first one to turn around and miss the second one. One of my pet peeves I guess. Crazy how you will never forget that memory.

 

[HawkRugged17]

I will add one more thing. My sophomore year we were playing a big rival. I was fouled with only a couple secs left and went to the line to shoot 2. We just happened to be down 2. I made the first missed the 2nd and we lost by 1. This crushed me. Our coach who had always placed a huge importance on FT's inspired me to work hard and place importance on practicing FT's. I never was able to redeem myself in a situation like that again but I never shot below 80% the rest of my HS career. Those of you that have played HS or even college basketball did your coaches place a big importance on shooting FT's and do you think it's being stressed today? It was a big reason why we won state my JR year and why the other team lost in the final minute.

I believe the individual skills like shooting free throws in basketball and hitting in baseball are treated differently nowadays. With all of the emphasis on playing games at the youth level in both sports, some of these individual skills are expected to be worked on and improved on the players own time. In baseball, hitting occurs before or after practice/games. Hitting is not part of the normal practice routine.

From what I have heard, that is the same in basketball. For good players on AAU teams or high school teams, there is not much time spent on shooting during practice. Much more team exercises (offense/defense, rebounding, out of bound plays, etc.). The players are expected to show up early or stay late to shoot. Some do and some don't. But, the key is, most is done without coaching. So, bad habits are not corrected.

Now, if the coaching staff determines there is an issue, they may take a player off to the side, work on correcting the issue (including film work at the college level), but most players are left to working on shooting free throws on their own.

 

[Auger]

I believe the individual skills like shooting free throws in basketball and hitting in baseball are treated differently nowadays. With all of the emphasis on playing games at the youth level in both sports, some of these individual skills are expected to be worked on and improved on the players own time. In baseball, hitting occurs before or after practice/games. Hitting is not part of the normal practice routine.

From what I have heard, that is the same in basketball. For good players on AAU teams or high school teams, there is not much time spent on shooting during practice. Much more team exercises (offense/defense, rebounding, out of bound plays, etc.). The players are expected to show up early or stay late to shoot. Some do and some don't. But, the key is, most is done without coaching. So, bad habits are not corrected.

Now, if the coaching staff determines there is an issue, they may take a player off to the side, work on correcting the issue (including film work at the college level), but most players are left to working on shooting free throws on their own.

This may be why we see kids that shoot under 60%. My coach would spend 10 mins a practice on FT's. I can tell you it helped and led to us making state 4 years in a row and winning it my JR year. Other than my downfall at the line it never really cost us.

 

[Auger]

When I coached.......we made free throws a drill. It's much easier to step up to the line & shoot 25 or 50 in a row. I feel for you Auger and honestly it is so much harder to make the first one to turn around and miss the second one. One of my pet peeves I guess. Crazy how you will never forget that memory.

You're telling me man. I also played AAU baseball and one moment I will never forget is striking out to end a semifinal game and our tournament. This was about 15 years ago and I can remember every pitch. However I made a last sec 4th down game saving goal line stop in college playing LB that I will never forget but even that memory is fuzzy compared to striking out and missing the final FT. Sports can be brutal.

 

[LuteHawk]

Good free throw shooters have good mechanics and
and are comfortable with doing 50 reps at practices.
This slapping hands with team mates after the first
free throw only makes the shooter lose his focus.

Bottom Line: Coaches are more interested in guys
who can hit 3 pointers and do not stress free throws.

 

[517ELYDR]

Good free throw shooters have good mechanics and
and are comfortable with doing 50 reps at practices.
This slapping hands with team mates after the first
free throw only makes the shooter lose his focus.

Bottom Line: Coaches are more interested in guys
who can hit 3 pointers and do not stress free throws.

 

[B1GDeal]

When I have worked with kids on FTs it's for them to create a routine... 2 dribbles, spin and shoot or dribble, pause and shoot... whatever they are comfortable with. Then they do this same thing every single FTS attempt. That way they focus on the routine and the muscle memory kicks in on the attempt while not being distracted by the crowd, etc. Teammates giving them a five or whatever doesn't seem to play a role because the routine doesn't start until the official passes them the ball for the shot anyway.

Some guys are good and others not so much. Comes down to focus and willingness to put in work.

 

[hawk-i bob]

I'll tell you something that bothers me. In games, after every free throw, the other players give the player at the stripe a pat or a hand slap. If my team is going to do that during games then they have to do it during FT shooting drills. Yet I never see any AAU or high school coaches make their players do it in practice. Why not?

it bothers u that they are not consistent with the pat or hand slap? ... ok then.

 

[hawk-i bob]

free throw practice during scheduled practice is find...but I would wager that every 'great' free throw shooter practice his routine on his own...a lot....and then a lot more.

 

[nu2u]

I always wondered why more shooters don't take jump shot free throws. I understand that the flat foot FT is more conventional but you would think that players who struggle making FTs would try it since the jump shot is far more commonly practiced. The FT line is the only time and place a player shoots flat footed.

As a very young kid remember Hal Greer (76ers) shooting jump shot FTs. Cant remember seeing a player use it since.

 

[kcgolfer]

I have grieved the down grading of fundamentals for years. Go by any basketball court where pickup games are played and all you see is 3 pt shots with an occasional drive. Nobody practices freethrows.

 

[EastIowaHawk]

In a game, it's usually (not always) the big guys that have the most trouble shooting free throws and that is for two reasons. 1) they spend percentage-wise more time working on moves around the basket, and not shooting as much from outside, and 2) physiologically, bigger, heavier guys expend relatively more energy working for an inside shot, so that when they go to the free throw line, they are sometimes puffing and quick-pulsed and not as mentally set. I know there are lots and lots of exceptions, but these two strike me as valid.

 

[hawk-i bob]

I always wondered why more shooters don't take jump shot free throws. I understand that the flat foot FT is more conventional but you would think that players who struggle making FTs would try it since the jump shot is far more commonly practiced. The FT line is the only time and place a player shoots flat footed.

As a very young kid remember Hal Greer (76ers) shooting jump shot FTs. Cant remember seeing a player use it since.

wholly crap u are as old as I am?

 

[hawk-i bob]

Ralph use to run the crap out of the players in practice...then have them shoot free throws...to simulate a game ..tired legs & all.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Bring in Rick Barry. He would have them shooting underhand, and better, if they were willing to put in the work and put up with some smirks

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/the-body/07-physics-proves-it-everyone-should-shoot-granny-style
http://www.si.com/nba/2016/06/30/ma...berlain-rick-barry-nba-free-throw-granny-shot

 

[B1GDeal]

Bring in Rick Barry. He would have them shooting underhand, and better, if they were willing to put in the work and put up with some smirks

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/the-body/07-physics-proves-it-everyone-should-shoot-granny-style
http://www.si.com/nba/2016/06/30/ma...berlain-rick-barry-nba-free-throw-granny-shot

Actually a year or so ago we played a team and a kid shot an underhanded sort of shot and I don't think he missed. He didn't squat down with ball between his legs but more of an under hand toss from the waist.

 

[bigfridaynite]

I read once where John Wooden said I player should almost always practice FT after a workout while body is tired just like a game.That always stuck in my head

 

[HawkRugged17]

Bring in Rick Barry. He would have them shooting underhand, and better, if they were willing to put in the work and put up with some smirks

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/the-body/07-physics-proves-it-everyone-should-shoot-granny-style
http://www.si.com/nba/2016/06/30/ma...berlain-rick-barry-nba-free-throw-granny-shot

Didn't quite work for everyone.

 

[Ronman]

Seems like if it isn't a dunk or a long bomb, the kids aren't interested in working on it. The 15 foot jump shot is a lost art.

 

[EpenesaEpenesa]

I read once where John Wooden said I player should almost always practice FT after a workout while body is tired just like a game.That always stuck in my head

That's the ideal time to do it

 

[bigfridaynite]

Maybe let the kids where headphones while shooting would help that's the way they practice them.