How to Shoot a Free Throw

Be Clutch

Have you ever been in that kind of situation, where there is physically nothing between you at the free-throw line and the rim, but it seems to be the toughest shot to make? The free throw is regarded as the most important shot in basketball. To shoot free throws correctly, let's look at some facts first The free throw line is 15 feet from the rim. You have 10 seconds to shoot and there is no one guarding you. In theory, it should be the easiest shot. However, inside the real game, although you are physically unguarded, the pressure and stress keep disturbing you and it can easily ruin you, especially when a bunch of crazy spectators are booing you and waving their balloons to distract you.

The free throw is all about consistency, and you know how they say practice makes perfect well it comes down to good mechanics, which will help tremendously because free-throws basically have no time pressure.  Therefore, we must optimize our shooting by fixing our shooting stance that gives us the most accurate shot.  We must also minimize the amount of movement that may induce inconsistency (in other words, minimal movement: the less movement, the less discrepancy).  In order to do so, we will approach it by setting up a squared up posture with the ball, minimize the arm movement and use our legs to propel the basketball towards the basketball hoop.

1. (Assume right-handed) position your legs (right leg forward) so that the invisible line joining the toes roughly makes a 30 degrees angle with the free-throw line.

2. Hold your right hand in the 90-90-90 position with the ball on your finger tips

3. Place your left hand on the side to support the basketball

4. Take a deep-breath now, and bend your knees without moving your arms

5. Hold the semi-squat position for 1 second until everything is stabilized

6. Exhale slowly and extend your knees by 90% (i.e.: don't hyperextend them)

7. As soon as you feel that you are just before...