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Teaching and Coaching FT Shooting

One thing about Quinn was that regardless of his season FT percentage, he always focused and hit them at crunch time.
In my case once I switched to a pure shot instead of from the right side of my head, my % went up. It then became mental where I expected every one to go in & just decide what type of swish I wanted.
Some guys would take a normal jump shot for FT’s to break a slump.
 
Consistent form counts too, ie underhand shot works if you do it exactly the same way every time.
 
Our local girls team made 20 of 22 ft in their sectional game , so it can be done . Some of our guys don’t have real good form . It starts with your feet , if you get your feet lined up the rest of the body falls in line . Then you work on the legs , and finish with the wrist , and elbow . It doesn’t happen over nite , but with repetition your body does it by habit .
 
I believe it was Mike Copper who eventually played for Indiana State.
The article I linked agrees, brain fart on my part. That aside, 60 years ago kids could be given simple fundamentals and a routine and make free throws an offensive weapon not a detriment.
 
Our local girls team made 20 of 22 ft in their sectional game , so it can be done . Some of our guys don’t have real good form . It starts with your feet , if you get your feet lined up the rest of the body falls in line . Then you work on the legs , and finish with the wrist , and elbow . It doesn’t happen over nite , but with repetition your body does it by habit .
Girls basketball is an inch smaller in diameter and 2 ounces lighter. That gives them an advantage. Basketball-Sizes-STACK.jpg
 
We've beaten it to death here and we all know our free throw shooting is p*$$ poor and unacceptable. What I don't understand is why our kids, who have terrible mechanics, aren't taught, coached...heck even forced to change those mechanics. It's not like I'm a coach or anything, but even a moronic novice knucklehead like myself can look at the shooting mechanics of many of our players and see they aren't built for success. Trey Galloway's wrist looks like it's moving sideways before he follows through. Xavier's push shot should have been discontinued in the sixth grade. Trayce doesn't bend his knees at the free throw line and just flicks the shot with his wrists.

I love Woody, but I hate...ABSOLUTELY HATE...what he said in the presser yesterday after the game about having to "get the kids more confident" about making shots.

Maybe I'm crazy but for many of our players, I don't think it's an "emotional" thing like confidence. I think it's a very teachable, coachable mechanics thing that has to be fixed. The sooner the better...Just coach them. Teach them. That's what you're paid to do!
It's more concentration than mechanics unless you are winded and even then good shooters aren't bothered. NO excuse for these guys to miss especially 3 point shooters.....good god there is a reason they call it "free" throw,
 
FTs are the putts of basketball. Everyone puts far more work in on the longball and mid irons.

It is form and focus and it ain't sexy to 20 year olds.
 
Girls basketball is an inch smaller in diameter and 2 ounces lighter. That gives them an advantage. Basketball-Sizes-STACK.jpg
Girls are usually smaller with less muscle mass , so I consider that a wash . The size of the ball is minimal , but I’ll give you that . It still doesn’t make up for proper shooting form . 90 percent of us on here couldn’t go 20 of 22 even if we were using a girls ball .
 
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To be fair about TJDs ft shooting, he was probly taught by his dad, who also wasnt a very good ft shooter!
 
Girls are usually smaller with less muscle mass , so I consider that a wash . The size of the ball is minimal , but I’ll give you that . It still doesn’t make up for proper shooting form . 90 percent of us on here couldn’t go 20 of 22 even if we were using a girls ball .
The size of girls ball ..Is big deal.
College and WNBA should play with a men's regulation ball....
I throw a womens ball up on the rim ..Semi softly.
Hell it goes in practically by itself..
It's ridiculous easy..imo
 
The size of girls ball ..Is big deal.
College and WNBA should play with a men's regulation ball....
I throw a womens ball up on the rim ..Semi softly.
Hell it goes in practically by itself..
It's ridiculous easy..imo
So using a girls ball you would make 22 of 22 every time . That is because the girls ball is so small that it would go in every time . I give up you win .
 
The size of girls ball ..Is big deal.
College and WNBA should play with a men's regulation ball....
I throw a womens ball up on the rim ..Semi softly.
Hell it goes in practically by itself..
It's ridiculous easy..imo
Not sure it's that easy, but let's face it, it's an advantage using a smaller, lighter ball. I get tired of hearing how women are better shooters than the guys...simply not true.
 
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Collin Gillespie and Justin Moore are their top scorers. I cant find their high school stats but Gillespie was quite the shooter in high school in PA and a nice stroke. He hit 80% from the line his freshman year and 91% so far this year. Justin Moore played for DeMatha (Hunter Dickinson his team mate and Moore was top rated player in MD) and hit 71% as a freshman and 79% so far this season.

I agree. You can have bad mechanics and be a great shooter and I always think of Keith Wilkes but high percentage of great shooters have good mechanics and high percentage with bad mechanics are not good shooters. There are exceptions.

Pretty sad to blame 13" as a consideration in not having an NBA HOF career. :)
That's true. I once trounced a D1 star in one on one as I was getting to be about late 20's. The only reason I won was because he knew I'd go around him if he got too close and he didn't think I could shoot like that, but I could then. The really big difference though, is it damn near killed me and he wanted to run it back immediately and I was laying on the hood of my car, drinking a huge Gatorade and smoking a cig, happy about what I did, but round 2, no way. There's a huge difference in those of us that can just go again at that level of defense
 
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The definition of stupid is practicing the same stupid thing over and over and expecting a different result next time. Just as in baseball where they have a pitching coach and a batting coach, basketball (IU basketball) needs a shooting coach. It is so embarrassing and yes stupid to see the same result from the free thrown line and 3 point line happening so consistently. What are they practicing to get a different result? It is amazing how high school kids (not necessarily the 3,4, or 5 star players) are knocking down 3s and making free throws at much higher percentages than most of our players. If we are going to practice bad habits maybe we should suspend practice.
Hell, my old high schools girls team can stand outside the 3 point line and make them all day.

And they make their FTs.

Just inexplicable how we can be so bad at shooting of any kind
 
I would take a comparative look at our strength training. Buckner is an illustrative example. He also played DB in football until his senior year. Pretty muscle bound for a guard, even in those days. It affected his shot. We've all seen the before and after pics if Race. Word is he was a good shooter in HS.
Quinn quit playing football after his Sophomore year.
 
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Not sure it's that easy, but let's face it, it's an advantage using a smaller, lighter ball. I get tired of hearing how woman are better shooters than the guys...simply not true.
Did you notice neither the Bengals nor the Rams put a single female player into the SB. Not a single one. Outrageous.
 
I would take a comparative look at our strength training. Buckner is an illustrative example. He also played DB in football until his senior year. Pretty muscle bound for a guard, even in those days. It affected his shot. We've all seen the before and after pics if Race. Word is he was a good shooter in HS.
No doubt you need to train for strength but not at the expense of flexibility and agility. To me if you look at TJD's playing style he is high on strength but low on flexibility and agility. Some people may not have good innate potential for flexibility and agility but I agree you need to ensure your training program doesn't worsen these traits. Brady prefers bands to iron and I know Bill Walsh was a big proponent of agility during the hey day of the 49ers.

Can't do much better than Steph Curry as a shooter and he hits every muscle group only once a week with iron along with 300 shots each day and some high tech training system to help with agility, coordination, and reaction times of his movements as a guard.

If you have guys in the training room competing on strength weight training then not the best for a basketball team. I have seen it said that in basketball you should train to be a strong otter rather than a strong athlete. I would say Coach Woodson scored high on agility and flexibility as a player and not very high on strength. He had a beautiful calm jump shot-smooth and easy, not jerky and strong. When he got the ball in open scoring position you could feel a big burst of calm vibes. :)
 
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No doubt you need to train for strength but not at the expense of flexibility and agility. To me if you look at TJD's playing style he is high on strength but low on flexibility and agility. Some people may not have good innate potential for flexibility and agility but I agree you need to ensure your training program doesn't worsen these traits. Brady prefers bands to iron and I know Bill Walsh was a big proponent of agility during the hey day of the 49ers.

Can't do much better than Steph Curry as a shooter and he hits every muscle group only once a week with iron along with 300 shots each day and some high tech training system to help with agility, coordination, and reaction times of his movements as a guard.

If you have guys in the training room competing on strength weight training then not the best for a basketball team. I have seen it said that in basketball you should train to be a strong otter rather than a strong athlete. I would say Coach Woodson scored high on agility and flexibility as a player and not very high on strength. He had a beautiful calm jump shot-smooth and easy, not jerky and strong. When he got the ball in open scoring position you could feel a big burst of calm vibes. :)
I have to think b-ball strength training is treated as a science at IU. But when I see us consistently poor at the line and from the floor, and guys shooting worse here than when they were in high school, there may be a common denominator.

Woodson is my all-time favorite IU player. Partly because I overlapped with him at IU, but mostly because he was the smoothest shooter on the move I've seen at IU. Never off-balance, always had a soft touch, and accurate as anyone, including May, Alford and Chaney.
 
I have to think b-ball strength training is treated as a science at IU. But when I see us consistently poor at the line and from the floor, and guys shooting worse here than when they were in high school, there may be a common denominator.

Woodson is my all-time favorite IU player. Partly because I overlapped with him at IU, but mostly because he was the smoothest shooter on the move I've seen at IU. Never off-balance, always had a soft touch, and accurate as anyone, including May, Alford and Chaney.
3 things were certain in life - death, taxes, and Woody's jumper
 
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We've beaten it to death here and we all know our free throw shooting is p*$$ poor and unacceptable. What I don't understand is why our kids, who have terrible mechanics, aren't taught, coached...heck even forced to change those mechanics. It's not like I'm a coach or anything, but even a moronic novice knucklehead like myself can look at the shooting mechanics of many of our players and see they aren't built for success. Trey Galloway's wrist looks like it's moving sideways before he follows through. Xavier's push shot should have been discontinued in the sixth grade. Trayce doesn't bend his knees at the free throw line and just flicks the shot with his wrists.

I love Woody, but I hate...ABSOLUTELY HATE...what he said in the presser yesterday after the game about having to "get the kids more confident" about making shots.

Maybe I'm crazy but for many of our players, I don't think it's an "emotional" thing like confidence. I think it's a very teachable, coachable mechanics thing that has to be fixed. The sooner the better...Just coach them. Teach them. That's what you're paid to do!
Right after I graduated high school I was playing a lot of basketball and changed my shot in a very short time. I became the guy that no one wanted to leave open, and I was an 80% free throw shooter. Seriously, if I can do that on my own there is no reason for these guys having such horrible technique. I blame that on coaching.
 
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Right after I graduated high school I was playing a lot of basketball and changed my shot in a very short time. I became the guy that no one wanted to leave open, and I was an 80% free throw shooter. Seriously, if I can do that on my own there is no reason for these guys having such horrible technique. I blame that on coaching.
I really can't understand your logic. If only coaching and anybody can do it then why so few elite shooters in D1 and still fewer in the NBA? Why is the D1 FT average less than 80%? If you know how to coach up anyone to be a lights out shooter then you have found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The average free throw percentage in the NBA is also less than 80% so many players shooting far less than 80%. From your statement I understand that D1 and the NBA must be saddled with widespread bad coaching and you could do much better. What an incredible business opportunity you have. You will be above Knight, Wooden, Jackson Auerbach, etc. They will build a separate wing in the HOF to hail your accomplishments.
 
Right after I graduated high school I was playing a lot of basketball and changed my shot in a very short time. I became the guy that no one wanted to leave open, and I was an 80% free throw shooter. Seriously, if I can do that on my own there is no reason for these guys having such horrible technique. I blame that on coaching.
Please please go to Assembly Hall as soon as possible and tell the coaching staff they don't have a clue and turn the team into good shooters before the BTT. I can't wait to see them raining threes and shooting lights out on free throws.
 
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Please please go to Assembly Hall as soon as possible and tell the coaching staff they don't have a clue and turn the team into good shooters before the BTT. I can't wait to see them raining threes and shooting lights out on free throws.
If you had been around there wouldn't have been any Hack a Shaq strategy at the end of Laker's games. Shaq and/or the Lakers would have paid you handsomely as a consultant but maybe sensitive showing up Phil Jackson and his staff.
 
If you had been around there wouldn't have been any Hack a Shaq strategy at the end of Laker's games. Shaq and/or the Lakers would have paid you handsomely as a consultant but maybe sensitive showing up Phil Jackson and his staff.
How do really feel? VBG and 🤣
 
It can be very difficult to change your jump shot, but free throw mechanics are a relatively easy fix. There's no time pressure or need need for a quick release.

Pick a routine and do it the same way, with the same rhythm, pace, and release. Dominant hand centered and in line, with a supporting off hand, knee bend, follow through. Almost anyone can be taught to make 75+% of their free throws.
 
I don't want to do the easy thing and blame AAU Travel ball for this. However there may be a connection. When You play travel ball with limited practice time, You don't devote the necessary time to fundamental drills and improving techniques. The games You play in become slam dunk/3 point contests, with everyone trying to get on a highlight roll to gain the attention of recruiters. Nobody seems to care whether You can shoot FTs.

I posted this somewhere a couple of years ago. The Indy Star ran an Article about a kid Who played for Wabash or De Pauw who just had a consecutive free throw streak of 95 snapped. If I remember correctly, over 2 years He made something like 190 out of 200. Played for an Indiana High School never highly recruited. Don't know if He could get his shot off consistently against Big 10 Competition or defend effectively. However, I do know this.

1. You don't get to the free throw line 200 times in that period of time by standing out at the 3 point line waiting for a pass.

2. at any level of Play, the distance from the Basket to free throw Line is 15 feet, and the Height of the Rim is 10 Feet.

I would be tempted to give a Kid like this a scholarship and use Him as a late game specialist. If You have a lead in the game with 3-5 Minutes left, put Him on the Court and force the opponent to play through Him and Foul Him, or let Him stand there and kill clock.
Luke Brown approves this post.
 
The Indy Star ran an Article about a kid Who played for Wabash or De Pauw who just had a consecutive free throw streak of 95 snapped. If I remember correctly, over 2 years He made something like 190 out of 200. Played for an Indiana High School never highly recruited.
Jack Davidson, Wabash

"It's just a lot of practice, shooting a lot of free throws every day," said Davidson. "Doing the same routine every day and not switching it up so you're comfortable at the line."

At Wabash, players have to make 100 free throws a week on their own outside of practice. Brumett records them to keep track of percentages so they can see if they're having success at the line or struggling.

At practice, there are pressure free throws. Players might have to make two in a row to keep teammates from running.

Brumett finishes almost every drill with a free throw. The team that is ahead has to make one at the line to win the drill.

Wabash as a team is in the top five in the nation in free-throw percentage, 81 percent. Besides Davidson, Wabash has another player shooting above 90 percent and three above 85 percent.



he ended up breaking the record:

 
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Jack Davidson, Wabash

"It's just a lot of practice, shooting a lot of free throws every day," said Davidson. "Doing the same routine every day and not switching it up so you're comfortable at the line."

At Wabash, players have to make 100 free throws a week on their own outside of practice. Brumett records them to keep track of percentages so they can see if they're having success at the line or struggling.

At practice, there are pressure free throws. Players might have to make two in a row to keep teammates from running.

Brumett finishes almost every drill with a free throw. The team that is ahead has to make one at the line to win the drill.

Wabash as a team is in the top five in the nation in free-throw percentage, 81 percent. Besides Davidson, Wabash has another player shooting above 90 percent and three above 85 percent.



he ended up breaking the record:

I looked at NBA career leaders for free throw percentage and Curry is first at .9077 but quite a few Indiana names or IU players are high on the list-
11. Scot Skiles. .8891
13. Larry Bird .8857
25. Isiah Thomas. .8718
99. Oscar Robinson .8377
156. Mike Conley .8213
163. Glenn Robinson .8196
179. Mike Woodson. .8126. He knows how to shoot free throws.
192. Eric Gordon ..8099
221. Brad Miller. .8038

I may have missed one and didn't include Dantley at ND nor Ricky Green at Vincennes.

Famous Indiana names in the ABA are

2. Billy Keller. .8723
15. Louie Dampier .8256
18. Rick Mount .8195
 
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Eric Snow of MSU shot 20% from the FT line his freshman year (worst I ever remember), improved to 61% as a senior, then shot 76% for his 7 year NBA career.
 
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I remember Glen Vidnovic at Iowa (of technical fame) was a heckuva free throw shooter and IU fans despised him.
 
We've beaten it to death here and we all know our free throw shooting is p*$$ poor and unacceptable. What I don't understand is why our kids, who have terrible mechanics, aren't taught, coached...heck even forced to change those mechanics. It's not like I'm a coach or anything, but even a moronic novice knucklehead like myself can look at the shooting mechanics of many of our players and see they aren't built for success. Trey Galloway's wrist looks like it's moving sideways before he follows through. Xavier's push shot should have been discontinued in the sixth grade. Trayce doesn't bend his knees at the free throw line and just flicks the shot with his wrists.

I love Woody, but I hate...ABSOLUTELY HATE...what he said in the presser yesterday after the game about having to "get the kids more confident" about making shots.

Maybe I'm crazy but for many of our players, I don't think it's an "emotional" thing like confidence. I think it's a very teachable, coachable mechanics thing that has to be fixed. The sooner the better...Just coach them. Teach them. That's what you're paid to do!
I don't know - I think confidence has at least something to do with it. I remember when my grandson was trying to learn how to ride a bicycle, his mom brought him to me thinking I could teach him better than her. So I said "let's go to the park". He said, "Wait while I put on my protective gear mom makes me wear" and he proceeded to put on his helmet, gloves, elbow pads and knee pads. I thought "what the F?" and told him he could wear the stuff to the park, take it off and put it back on if he wanted when we started back from the park. Well, it still took a couple days to get him riding, but I think it took time because he EXPECTED he was going to fall since his mom had prepared him for that. On the other hand, my son, who thought he could do anything and do it better than anyone else, fell over the first two times, but the third time he was riding and never looked back. I think confidence plays a big role in everything we do.
 
I really can't understand your logic. If only coaching and anybody can do it then why so few elite shooters in D1 and still fewer in the NBA? Why is the D1 FT average less than 80%? If you know how to coach up anyone to be a lights out shooter then you have found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The average free throw percentage in the NBA is also less than 80% so many players shooting far less than 80%. From your statement I understand that D1 and the NBA must be saddled with widespread bad coaching and you could do much better. What an incredible business opportunity you have. You will be above Knight, Wooden, Jackson Auerbach, etc. They will build a separate wing in the HOF to hail your accomplishments.
I said I fixed my own shot, I never said anything about coaching but you go ahead and be you because you apparently love to be with yourself.
 
I remember Mike Copper being the head coach at Munster back in the 70’s, maybe into the 80’s. Growing up I Heard the stories of his and Valpo’s FT prowess and playing at ISU. He later Moved down to Indy to coach at Warren Central and Retired as the Superintendent in Lawrence Twp.

Considering the many paid coaches on staff can’t seem to get these guys to hit FTs (worst in the BT), maybe off-season they should bring HIM (or someone like him) in for 3-4 weeks to break down mechanics, go over the mental aspects and measure for improvement. It couldn’t be any worse.
 
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