Bad Free Throw shooters - why not try to bank every shot?

[magicman1978]

I think there was a study that showed that bank shots could increase free throw percentage by 20%. Problem with the study is that it did not discern between bad free throw shooters and good free throw shooters. I'm pretty good at getting my shot in a straight line. I often missed slightly short or slightly long. I actually made a better percentage banking them when I tried practicing it. However, with bad free throw shooters - I think their issue is mainly being unable to get a shot in a straight line and missing left/right. Shooting a bank shot from the free throw line probably makes it tougher for them, because the ball now needs to travel further and that left/right trajectory ends up being off even more -- which I think makes it less likely for them to be able to bank in the shot.

[britblazerdude]

Watch on YouTube

It looks like he's shooting a FT on NBA 2k for the first time. (Still feels weird that NBA Live isn't the main game).

Also, I think college bball showed us last year that the underhand shot is the way to go for free throws.

[DNP - Old]

Dude Warriors have come a long way...

[hardenASG13]

Wow banking in a foul shot is alot harder than making a regular one. It's a shot to use in a game of HORSE. And for those questioning why guys don't practice them, they do, and can make them in practice. In the game they worry about missing them, and miss for mental reasons.

[ISayshowmee]

If the team puts $$$incentives in their contract....if you make 70% of your free throws.....you get an extra $$$$$. Betya, this will improve their free throw %.

Now for players with hands of stone like Dwight.....tough luck !!

[Torres]

You simply can't convince me a player cannot improve even minimally if they really practice

The bad ones are mostly lazy

[mastermixer]

I bet 90% of the posters here saying "just practice and make them" couldn't go 2/10 at the line right now.

[Goudelock]

What are you talking about? Straight on bank shots have to be some of the most difficult basketball shots. That's why you mostly see in game people using bank shots from the side under an angle.

But why do you have to take FTs from directly in front of the basket? If you were to bank it in, then you could stand at the right or left side of the line so you're shooting them at a bit of an angle.

[The_Answer]

I just don't believe in the whole "not able to do it"

The players that want to be great, figure it out. No other way around it, you either make the changes in your game to become better at all facets or you fade away in mediocrity.

Kobe, a notorious workaholic, was a below-average three-point shooter for his entire career. You really think he didn't want it enough? At a certain point, your production is capped by your ability.

[predators]

The skill floor /effort it takes to be a NBA player drops dramatically if you are over 6'10" and extremely athletic. (You are essentially are a unicorn at that point) There is a reason all the terrible free throw shooters are usually rim protecting centers with freak verticals that would not be in the league or struggling to make a roster if they were 6'8" or less. The fact that these players have become more of liability in the modern game, is a good thing in my book.

[Johnny Bball]

The solution is shooting granny style, but all but one player these days has too big an ego.

[Edrees]

I bet 90% of the posters here saying "just practice and make them" couldn't go 2/10 at the line right now.

What kind of logic is this? So if dwight howard can't post up Isiah Thomas I couldn't criticize it since I can't post up Isiah Thomas?

[sikma42]

When you use glass from straight on you have more margin for error and you don't even have to spin the ball nicely for the rebound of the glass to go in.

Why don't more bad ft shooters try this?

Never played hoops huh?

Sure sounds like this is the case


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[Xherdan 23]

It used to be the go to excuse: "His hands are too big", "He's too tall so he doesn't have the angle".
Now, not everyone can be Dirk, but you can certainly show Ibaka or Bosh improvement from their rookie years.
Hell, look at Brook Lopez or Boogie Cousins and how they're shooting threes after not having any range coming in to the league.

Kawhi Leonard shot 20% from three his freshman year in college and 29% his second year, if anyone should give up because their hands are too big to shoot it's him, but he didn't and he's now a 40% 3pt shooter for his NBA career.

We always knew Shaq and Dwight were lazy but now when every player is a good shooter regardless of size you can really tell how much they tried to improve in that area.

Exactly. There is no excuse and I hate how people allow players to just suck at FT shooting.

It's not like the players are asked to become elite catch and shoot players...or become efficient from 3pt. They are EXPECTED to make stationary free throw shots, with absolutely no defense. Putting the blame on having big hands or being too tall or not mentally fit enough, all of that is weak. You're paid millions to figure it out.

Dwight shoots 80% from the line in practice.. DeAndre Jordan was taking 100 FTs every day in practice.

I mean, why stop at FTs? Why hasnt Shaun Livingston ever developed a 3pt ball? Why cant everyone shoot 3s too? At a certain point, you just aren't able to do it. I'm 5'10, I had to be a guard my entire life. But I couldnt be a PG because no matter how much I practiced, I couldnt handle the ball well enough to do so. I put in the work, listened to Gary Payton and Jason Williams' tips (ruined many gloves by cutting the fingertips out, per White Chocolate).. and I could do pretty well in the gym by myself. But come game time, I may as well have been Biyombo out there.

But don't leave me open. No, don't do that. I'm not like Biyombo there

So get a mental coach, go see a therapist, do whatever it takes.
If Dwight shoots 80% at practice then all this BS about body type and hand size is just a flat out lie.

Sure, Steph is probably a more natural shooter than DeAndre, but that doesn't give DJ an excuse to be a sub 40% shooter from the line. Being a professional basketball player that can't be barely over .500 at the most basic aspect of the sport is embarrassing.

And yes, Livingston should have had a 3pt shot by now and one of the reasons (other than that injury) he's a bench player is that he can't shoot at a respectable rate(30%?) when wide open.
You think he's genetically a bad shooter? For a guy that shoots 80% from the line I'd say it's highly unlikely.
Livingston just didn't work on his shooting as much as Kawhi or Giannis did.

[sikma42]

You simply can't convince me a player cannot improve even minimally if they really practice

The bad ones are mostly lazy

They practice a lot. It just doesn't matter for some people. Dwight hits 80 plus percent in practice for example.


It's mostly mental.




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[DuckIII]

When you use glass from straight on you have more margin for error and you don't even have to spin the ball nicely for the rebound of the glass to go in.

Why don't more bad ft shooters try this?

Never played hoops huh?

Sure sounds like this is the case

I have to agree. There's a reason why people who play basketball for a living never intentionally shoot straight away banks on free throws, jumpers, runners, whatever. Its harder. I don't know the science of it, but from my own experience its a difficult shot and the fact that people way better at the sport than me also don't shoot it, is all the confirmation I need.

[Alonzo_Morning]

When you use glass from straight on you have more margin for error and you don't even have to spin the ball nicely for the rebound of the glass to go in.

Why don't more bad ft shooters try this?

Never played hoops huh?

Sure sounds like this is the case


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So you think continual clanking off the back iron is the answer?

Aim for glass. It will guide the ball in

[sikma42]

Exactly. There is no excuse and I hate how people allow players to just suck at FT shooting.

It's not like the players are asked to become elite catch and shoot players...or become efficient from 3pt. They are EXPECTED to make stationary free throw shots, with absolutely no defense. Putting the blame on having big hands or being too tall or not mentally fit enough, all of that is weak. You're paid millions to figure it out.

Dwight shoots 80% from the line in practice.. DeAndre Jordan was taking 100 FTs every day in practice.

I mean, why stop at FTs? Why hasnt Shaun Livingston ever developed a 3pt ball? Why cant everyone shoot 3s too? At a certain point, you just aren't able to do it. I'm 5'10, I had to be a guard my entire life. But I couldnt be a PG because no matter how much I practiced, I couldnt handle the ball well enough to do so. I put in the work, listened to Gary Payton and Jason Williams' tips (ruined many gloves by cutting the fingertips out, per White Chocolate).. and I could do pretty well in the gym by myself. But come game time, I may as well have been Biyombo out there.

But don't leave me open. No, don't do that. I'm not like Biyombo there

So get a mental coach, go see a therapist, do whatever it takes.
If Dwight shoots 80% at practice then all this BS about body type and hand size is just a flat out lie.

Sure, Steph is probably a more natural shooter than DeAndre, but that doesn't give DJ an excuse to be a sub 40% shooter from the line. Being a professional basketball player that can't be barely over .500 at the most basic aspect of the sport is embarrassing.

And yes, Livingston should have had a 3pt shot by now and one of the reasons (other than that injury) he's a bench player is that he can't shoot at a respectable rate(30%?) when wide open.
You think he's genetically a bad shooter? For a guy that shoots 80% from the line I'd say it's highly unlikely.
Livingston just didn't work on his shooting as much as Kawhi or Giannis did.

You sound like someone with no contact with high level basketball players. Shooting is not a factor of just hard work. Talent is real.

I havent practiced free throws since I was in college. Even then only when mandated. I shot close to 80% for 4 years. Dwight has prob taken a few hundred thousand free throws more than me with the help of professional coaches. I could outshoot him right now in dress shoes. It's not that he hasn't worked harder on that aspect of the game, he just isn't as talented there. Luckily, he has learned to adjust and turned himself into a rich rich man lol


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[sikma42]

Never played hoops huh?

Sure sounds like this is the case


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So you think continual clanking off the back iron is the answer?

Aim for glass. It will guide the ball in

It's actually a harder shot. going granny would be the correct adjustment

Also, lol at thinking guys who don't have the touch/arch to make foul shots have the touch to bank in 15 footers from straight away. I couldn't do that and I've always been a good free throw shooter.

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[fouronesix22]

I thought this too when I was younger playing in my backyard hoops with those backboard friendly rims. The point is, it doesnt matter how hard you throw a basketball at the backboard that you play with in your backyard but it makes a difference on an NBA backboard.

You have to master your strength everytime you toss an ball at the NBA backboard so that you bank it in. It is much harder than it looks.