06-01-2004, 05:29 AM
Did a little Googling and found this:
An underhanded suggestion
Shaq must learn to shoot free throws ... or face defeat.
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Rick Barry
Special To The Examiner
Published on Wednesday, May 5, 2004
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SHAQUILLE O'NEAL IS, without debate, the most dominant center in today's NBA. At 7-foot-1 and 340 pounds, his size alone allows him to do things that other centers only dream about. He is a mix of power, athleticism and finesse. But all of this cannot make up for the fact that he is a horrible free-throw shooter.
Did I say horrible? How about horrendous, dreadful, atrocious and appalling, too?
In his 12-year professional career, he has averaged an embarrassing 54 percent from the charity stripe. In his best free-throw shooting season, he managed only 62 percent accuracy, and he has posted numbers under 50 percent in three seasons.
In this year's playoffs, he has managed to shoot just 28 percent from the line, and in Game 1 against San Antonio, he went 3-for-13 for a whopping 23 percent. Every player on my 10-year-old son's basketball team can shoot better than that. Heck, I could randomly select ten people off the street that could probably muster a better percentage.
So what's the deal? I could not live with myself if a particular segment of my game needed so much work. I would spend every hour of every day practicing to make sure I could become proficient in that area. And I would consult all the experts and try everything possible to get better.
Now I know that Shaq has worked with numerous coaches in an effort to improve his free throw shooting. I'm not saying that he hasn't tried. However, whatever the so-called shooting gurus were teaching him, nothing has been successful. Doesn't he owe it to his teammates, his fans and, more importantly, himself to exhaust all possibilities?
In that vein, let me mention that there is one technique that Shaq has not tried. I'm sure by now you know what I am getting at. Yes, Shaquille O'Neal is the perfect candidate for my underhanded free-throw technique. I've read that he had a wrist injury as a youngster that prevents him from fully cocking his wrist in the proper manner to shoot an overhand shot. Doesn't it make sense to try a technique that would eliminate the need to bend his wrist?
I can guarantee that if Shaq devoted one offseason to my underhanded style, I could have him shooting above 70 percent the following season. Further, I would be willing to tutor him for free. Well, not exactly free, just no money up front. I would ask that he pay me an agreed upon amount for every percentage-point increase in his free-throw shooting from the previous season.
I assure you that I am not offering my services for any selfish or self-promoting reason. It just disappoints me to see any player not live up to his potential. That's why I would love nothing more than to have Shaq shoot underhanded. I would like to see him become a more complete player, and improving his percentage at the line is how that can become a reality.
When he goes down in NBA history as one of the best centers to play the game, the last thing he should want is an asterisk by his name that says: But he was also one of the worst free-throw shooters ever. And, imagine if it said that his poor free-throw shooting cost the Lakers a few championships.
If the Lakers hope to beat the Spurs in this series, their only hope is that Tim Duncan shoots worse from the line than Shaq. And since I mentioned Duncan, although he isn't anywhere near as bad as Shaq, he should also consider making a switch in technique at the line. How sad it is to see two of the most talented players ever to step on a basketball court turn into liabilities when they shoot free throws.
Who knows? Maybe after the season is over, my phone will ring and on the other end of the line will be a great center or a great power forward who wants to develop a complete game.
Former Warriors star and Hall of Famer Rick Barry hosts the noon-3 p.m. talk show on KNBR 680.
An underhanded suggestion
Shaq must learn to shoot free throws ... or face defeat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rick Barry
Special To The Examiner
Published on Wednesday, May 5, 2004
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHAQUILLE O'NEAL IS, without debate, the most dominant center in today's NBA. At 7-foot-1 and 340 pounds, his size alone allows him to do things that other centers only dream about. He is a mix of power, athleticism and finesse. But all of this cannot make up for the fact that he is a horrible free-throw shooter.
Did I say horrible? How about horrendous, dreadful, atrocious and appalling, too?
In his 12-year professional career, he has averaged an embarrassing 54 percent from the charity stripe. In his best free-throw shooting season, he managed only 62 percent accuracy, and he has posted numbers under 50 percent in three seasons.
In this year's playoffs, he has managed to shoot just 28 percent from the line, and in Game 1 against San Antonio, he went 3-for-13 for a whopping 23 percent. Every player on my 10-year-old son's basketball team can shoot better than that. Heck, I could randomly select ten people off the street that could probably muster a better percentage.
So what's the deal? I could not live with myself if a particular segment of my game needed so much work. I would spend every hour of every day practicing to make sure I could become proficient in that area. And I would consult all the experts and try everything possible to get better.
Now I know that Shaq has worked with numerous coaches in an effort to improve his free throw shooting. I'm not saying that he hasn't tried. However, whatever the so-called shooting gurus were teaching him, nothing has been successful. Doesn't he owe it to his teammates, his fans and, more importantly, himself to exhaust all possibilities?
In that vein, let me mention that there is one technique that Shaq has not tried. I'm sure by now you know what I am getting at. Yes, Shaquille O'Neal is the perfect candidate for my underhanded free-throw technique. I've read that he had a wrist injury as a youngster that prevents him from fully cocking his wrist in the proper manner to shoot an overhand shot. Doesn't it make sense to try a technique that would eliminate the need to bend his wrist?
I can guarantee that if Shaq devoted one offseason to my underhanded style, I could have him shooting above 70 percent the following season. Further, I would be willing to tutor him for free. Well, not exactly free, just no money up front. I would ask that he pay me an agreed upon amount for every percentage-point increase in his free-throw shooting from the previous season.
I assure you that I am not offering my services for any selfish or self-promoting reason. It just disappoints me to see any player not live up to his potential. That's why I would love nothing more than to have Shaq shoot underhanded. I would like to see him become a more complete player, and improving his percentage at the line is how that can become a reality.
When he goes down in NBA history as one of the best centers to play the game, the last thing he should want is an asterisk by his name that says: But he was also one of the worst free-throw shooters ever. And, imagine if it said that his poor free-throw shooting cost the Lakers a few championships.
If the Lakers hope to beat the Spurs in this series, their only hope is that Tim Duncan shoots worse from the line than Shaq. And since I mentioned Duncan, although he isn't anywhere near as bad as Shaq, he should also consider making a switch in technique at the line. How sad it is to see two of the most talented players ever to step on a basketball court turn into liabilities when they shoot free throws.
Who knows? Maybe after the season is over, my phone will ring and on the other end of the line will be a great center or a great power forward who wants to develop a complete game.
Former Warriors star and Hall of Famer Rick Barry hosts the noon-3 p.m. talk show on KNBR 680.