How To Fix Dwight Howard's Free Throw Shooting

[Orium]

No, I'm not contradicting anything.

For one, he probably shot better around that video period because he wasn't pausing his elbow and shooting just with his wrist. His form actually looks better in that video. Now, if he made it a real shot and one motion starting with his lower body, he would have a good consistent free throw.

If he can do that method and shoot 80% in games then go ahead! That's fine. But has he? No, because that method won't hold up in the game because under PRESSURE it is tough to judge distance consistently with arms only. He was just rehearsing the stroke in that video, he was probably bending his knees at least somewhat when they counted his 80%.

How can you debate this when you can put 1000s of good free throw shooters next to Dwight and not one single person will lock their knees, pause their elbow, and shoot with wrist only???

And yet Dwight does, but NO that can't be the problem .. it's all his mental game .. .

I may well be his mental hesitation that is causing him to pause .. fine, how are you going to fix that?

you're not offering any solutions

I am offering the solution that he should at least try to make 1 single motion (the correct technique) since no one seems to be telling him this ..

You love to try to poke little holes in my argument and say Dwight is a mental midget .. well where does that leave us? Still a broken problem.

So offer a solution or go somewhere else instead of trying to tear down those of us who actually have a possible solution and are trying to share it, thanks.

My only advice is to not spend too much time thinking about it. He's probably a finished product at this point, so just accept him for the defensive monster that he is and know he's going to piss you off at the FT line.

[lakerz12]

No, I'm not contradicting anything.

For one, he probably shot better around that video period because he wasn't pausing his elbow and shooting just with his wrist. His form actually looks better in that video. Now, if he made it a real shot and one motion starting with his lower body, he would have a good consistent free throw.

If he can do that method and shoot 80% in games then go ahead! That's fine. But has he? No, because that method won't hold up in the game because under PRESSURE it is tough to judge distance consistently with arms only. He was just rehearsing the stroke in that video, he was probably bending his knees at least somewhat when they counted his 80%.

How can you debate this when you can put 1000s of good free throw shooters next to Dwight and not one single person will lock their knees, pause their elbow, and shoot with wrist only???

And yet Dwight does, but NO that can't be the problem .. it's all his mental game .. .

I may well be his mental hesitation that is causing him to pause .. fine, how are you going to fix that?

you're not offering any solutions

I am offering the solution that he should at least try to make 1 single motion (the correct technique) since no one seems to be telling him this ..

You love to try to poke little holes in my argument and say Dwight is a mental midget .. well where does that leave us? Still a broken problem.

So offer a solution or go somewhere else instead of trying to tear down those of us who actually have a possible solution and are trying to share it, thanks.

My only advice is to not spend too much time thinking about it. He's probably a finished product at this point, so just accept him for the defensive monster that he is and know he's going to piss you off at the FT line.

Yeah it may not happen, but I think it is possible to fix so I'm going to give it a shot. Once I've done my best to send him this letter and video I made (LOL), then I can rest knowing I gave it my best

[Driguez]

Fixing his FT's ain't going to happen. His FT woes are mental.

[commadoor 64]

Sorry OP, but I think you're wrong.

It's not his legs or a non-fluid motion that's Howard's problem.
It's simply he has no feel for the ball and that's as fundamental as learning to walk.

He will never be a better freethrow shooter no matter what.

Look at his hands....


Palms flat ON the ball ... fingertips not even touching at all.

It's the fingertips that control the ball.
Remember back in 5th grade gym class when the girls and non-athletic boys would slap at the ball to dribble it and it would just laugh at them and get lower and lower until it quit bouncing?

Get my point?

look at the hands of actual shooters....


And look again at Howard...



See it?


He doesn't have a feel for the ball. He has no concept of the release, nothing to do with his legs or fluidity or body in general. He's pushing the ball to the basket, no follow-thru, no guidance.
His arms are getting the ball there but, it takes his fingers and fingertips to guide the ball and produce the trajectory in needs.
Also, without knowing I'd bet Howard's wears glasses and has pretty bad eyesight and has worse vision in one eye more so than in the other because his depth-of-field seems to be off. Sometimes it's long, other's it's not and there seems to be no reason for the problem.

Shaq understood this....


Although, in Shaq's defense, he broke both his wrists at the same time really badly when he was young and lost a lot of forward movement in them. He shot as well as he could be still had to push the ball because of limited range in his wrists.

[lakerz12]

Sorry OP, but I think you're wrong.

It's not his legs or a non-fluid motion that's Howard's problem.
It's simply he has no feel for the ball and that's as fundamental as learning to walk.

He will never be a better freethrow shooter no matter what.

Look at his hands....


Palms flat ON the ball ... fingertips not even touching at all.

It's the fingertips that control the ball.
Remember back in 5th grade gym class when the girls and non-athletic boys would slap at the ball to dribble it and it would just laugh at them and get lower and lower until it quit bouncing?

Get my point?

look at the hands of actual shooters....


And look again at Howard...



See it?


He doesn't have a feel for the ball. He has no concept of the release, nothing to do with his legs or fluidity or body in general. He's pushing the ball to the basket, no follow-thru, no guidance.
His arms are getting the ball there but, it takes his fingers and fingertips to guide the ball and produce the trajectory in needs.
Also, without knowing I'd bet Howard's wears glasses and has pretty bad eyesight and has worse vision in one eye more so than in the other because his depth-of-field seems to be off. Sometimes it's long, other's it's not and there seems to be no reason for the problem.

Shaq understood this....


Although, in Shaq's defense, he broke both his wrists at the same time really badly when he was young and lost a lot of forward movement in them. He shot as well as he could be still had to push the ball because of limited range in his wrists.

Sincere thank you for actually critiquing the technique, etc. and my argument

I mean I guess we can just agree to disagree

You say it isn't the legs/fluidity/one motion but give no explanation why... so how do you know you're right?

I agree his hands and feel probably aren't great and that's why he'll probably max out at 75-80% at best

However, how can you compare him to great free throw shooters and ignore that they all shoot in one fluid motion and he does not? You think that has nothing to do with it?

So you think the use of legs and one fluid motion is absolutely pointless and not important whatsoever?

he bends his legs, then locks them and pauses so there was no point of bending them whatsoever

Ask Nash, Reggie, and Bird to lock their legs and shoot with wrist only

They will still be okay due to their good feel and touch as great shooters, but they wouldn't be nearly as good as they are when they shoot normally - in 1 fluid motion beginning with the lower body

How does Shaq help your argument? He used fingertips but still sucked. .I think he's a terrible basis for comparison in general though because he has so many things wrong with his free throws and is really unique.

[commadoor 64]

No, I think legs, fluidity, mentality, it all plays a part.

I agree with you but I don't think it's his fundamental underlying problem.

http://http://youtu.be/qfe4eg2qKP4

It's like playing guitar....

Lessons help and all but it a fundamental ability to understand what lies at the heart of being able to do it. Some can and some cannot.

Shaq is a reversal of this situation. Back to guitar ... Django Rhinehart (sp?) is considered by many guitarists to be one of the best to have ever played the thing yet his fingering hand had been so severely burned that he only had the movement and dexterity in only 2 fingers. My point is he had an understanding of how to play and his "handicap" simply wasn't one.

It's similar with being able to shoot. There's a fundamental ability that is required to be able to do it effectively that just can't be taught.

[lakerz12]

I agree there are certain things you can't teach like feel, touch, etc. and that's why I don't think Dwight will ever be a 90% FT shooter.

However, when someone has a glaring technical problem (the knees locking, pause, and all wrist shot) that good shooters do not have, isn't it worth pointing out and attempting to correct it?

[ahunterknight]

All you guys pointing out all his flaws at the ft line screw that. Look at Kevin Martin jumpshot it's terrible but it Is wet. Coaches need to stop trying to tweak his free throws. Just let him shoot how his most comfortable. He is a career 58 percent shooter and has some seasons where he shot over 60 percent from the line. I rather have that then a 49 percent shooter he keeps changing his form

[lakerz12]

All you guys pointing out all his flaws at the ft line screw that. Look at Kevin Martin jumpshot it's terrible but it Is wet. Coaches need to stop trying to tweak his free throws. Just let him shoot how his most comfortable. He is a career 58 percent shooter and has some seasons where he shot over 60 percent from the line. I rather have that then a 49 percent shooter he keeps changing his form

Regarding the Kevin Martin analogy, textbook arm positioning is not essential for good shooting. He still gets his right elbow in a good position towards the end and hand pointing directly at the hoop as the ball is released- that's all that matters as far as arm positioning

The use of the lower body, core, upper body, wrist, and hand all in smooth sequential order is 100% essential and non-negotiable for good shooting--- Martin has that along with every other good shooter, Howard doesn't

I'm not asking him to change form, I agree he should do what feels comfortable with his arms -- just timing and rhythm needs to change - smooth motion, not pausing

It seems he has never attempted this method, based on the fact that he has been doing the same pause, hitch, and wrist for 8 years

[Sedale Threatt]

You guys can have dueling Twitter campaigns. May the best man win!

[Alienware]

Whatever he's doing tonight. He needs to do THAT more.

[lakerz12]

Whatever he's doing tonight. He needs to do THAT more.

Seriously He had a nice touch tonight. As long as his touch and feel is great, he can make free throws the way he is now.

But, in the long run I think he will continue to struggle with the hitch.

I hope I'm wrong though - I will gladly shut up and watch him shoot the % he did tonight

[cmor42180]

8 seasons in orlando, numerous shooting coaches, players and people bashing his free throw shooting with zero improvement, but you think tweeting him and having him watch a youtube video will make him a better shooter... the internet has you delusional... maybe ill just dm him the video for you and he will listen to me, lmao

[lakerz12]

8 seasons in orlando, numerous shooting coaches, players and people bashing his free throw shooting with zero improvement, but you think tweeting him and having him watch a youtube video will make him a better shooter... the internet has you delusional... maybe ill just dm him the video for you and he will listen to me, lmao

I agree it is far fetched. But being far fetched doesn't make me wrong.

If it did, there would be no Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, etc. (obviously this issue doesn't compare to those in status and magnitude, but it is the exact same principle)

Much crazier things than this occur every day. Just turn on the news. If you were there before they happened, you'd say people were delusional to say such a thing would happen. It is because you are a pessimist and a negative Nancy.

If you saw a glass half way filled with water, you would not declare it half full or half empty. You would pour it out and declare it totally empty.

How do you think change takes place?

Every great person has had people laugh at them and call them stupid and delusional. If it weren't for people willing to try the "delusional", you wouldn't have running water or electricity.

I'd rather be a dreamer and an innovator than a naysayer who watches from the sideline...

But that's just me ...

[Mr. Natural]

Dwight needs to either:

1.) Swallow his pride and practice shooting underhand
2.) Get hypnotized by Derren Brown. Watch this video starting at 19:15 and apply it to basketball. Could work.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC9J6O6soHA[/youtube]