A few months ago, I was asked to be part of a founding group of coaches and masters in the art of shooting free throws. We were all in agreement that there is a strong need for better free throw shooting at all levels of play, both in the USA and internationally.
If there was more emphasis put on free throw mastery in the NBA, would there be fewer close games?
Of course, answering that is pure conjecture, but most of us would agree that free throw shooting in the NBA is horrendous. Not much has changed, percentage wise at the free throw line, for most of 100 years. In the history of the NBA, only about 50 players have shot better than 85%, with the individual average being just over 70% for the 2008-09 season.
Until the basketball role models--NBA, WNBA and collegiate players and teams--make a concerted effort to improve their free throw shooting percentages, younger players are not going to take seriously the need for better free throw shooting. And, coaches will continue to be (as a group) less than adequately prepared and willing to teach correct free throw shooting technique. Whatever is done at the higher levels is emulated at the younger levels of play. One only has to look at the way youngsters copycat the dribbling techniques and 3-point shooting of the older players to grasp this. When free throw shooting percentages improve at the higher levels, youngsters will want to be better at the line too.
To read this article, go to: http://www.top-basketball-coaching.com/NBSA.html
Until next month...
Yours in Sport & Spirit,
Coach Ronn
