Does it bother anyone else that some NBA players can't shoot?

[liam]

Free throws and open midrange  jumpers the rate should be pretty high if you're a pro basketball player.

[Brickowski]

I don't mind guys who can't shoot-- unless they play for the Celtics.

I will say that there is no excuse for a professional basketball player to shoot less than 75% from the line.  It's shameful.  They make excuses about guys like Shaq or Ben Wallace whose hands are too big, but that's alot of crap.  Freethrow shooting is 90% mental, and anyone can become good at it with practice.

[ToppersBsktball10]

Some people that are stars overall or at certain things worked hard, Pierce, Ray Allen, Kobe, Eddie House etc. Guys that are insanely athletic, didn't work as hard because they could still dominant without even shooting a jumper all game.

[vitaminC]

a conditioned pro has no excuse for poor free throw shooting. I practiced and i shoot about 70% in inter mural games....they are way more talented than I am so they (the pros who shoot poorly from the line) must not be practicing enough.

I understand fatigue changes player's shots, so even uncontested ones can be tough, but there are players who struggle from mid range 5 minutes after checking in! That bothers me. Tony Allen should be consistent when no ones around from 18-20 feet and he's not. Rondo too, but he compensates in other ways...which is why even some good nba players survive without a jumper.

[guava_wrench]

Some people that are stars overall or at certain things worked hard, Pierce, Ray Allen, Kobe, Eddie House etc. Guys that are insanely athletic, didn't work as hard because they could still dominant without even shooting a jumper all game.

There are people who are great shooters because of coordination. The were when they were young and it isn't because they practiced more than anyone else.

Sorry, but effort and hard work is not enough. That is not how the real world works. That is a fantasy.

Players make it to the NBA because there are particular skill they excel at, and it might not be shooting. It might be passing or defense. Why would you expect that everyone can develop the ability to be a good shooter as an adult?

And why is this even an issue? They will get paid based on their skills. If they get an improved shot, they will get paid more. If not, they will plateau at a lower salary level.

[nickagneta]

A lot of the bad free throw shooters are actually good free throw shooters -- when not in a game. But after running up and down the court full speed, it gets a lot harder.

I can bury free thrown after free throw when shooting around. I always nail them when shooting to play. But I shoot much worse from the free throw line in the flow of the game because I usually run full steam throughout the game.

Everybody has their own level of coordination, and it is unrealistic to expect all NBA players to be good at shooting from a distance.

I hope none of the people who complain about the shooting also complain about big men who refuse to bang in the lane because they want to shoot jumpers. That would make the major hypocrites.

Which is the reason that coaches incorporate running drills around free throw shooting and end of practices.

[ederson]

There are people who are great shooters because of coordination. The were when they were young and it isn't because they practiced more than anyone else.

Sorry, but effort and hard work is not enough. That is not how the real world works. That is a fantasy.

Nobody asked from every player to be a great shooter.
A 70% from the line is not such a big accomplishment. Maybe i`m wrong but 20 years ago there weren`t so many awful free throw shooters. I can understand that some players can`t get better regardless of the practice. But they can be more than a very small percentage.

Hitting a jumper is a matter of talent. I agree. You need to control many things. But from the line is a different case.... It`s alway the same drill , no defender near, same angle same distance every single time. It`s completely a matter of practice.

[MrTripleDouble10]

 Does it bother you just as much if you have players who can't pass, rebound, dribble or defend well? Shouldn't they all be able to do all of these things well?

This was exactly my thoughts about the OP.  The only thing that "bothers" me is the whole free throw thing.  If you're a professional basketball player, you should be able to make at LEAST 75% of your free throws.  Yes, it's different shooting them in a game as opposed to just being alone in a gym.  Still, there's no viable excuse for a professional basketball player to shoot poorly from the free throw line.

As far as shooting jump shots however, you need to look at it another way:  A lot of guys like say Shaq, have enormous hands, so no matter how perfect their mechanics may be (and his are not by any means) simple things like having huge hands impair a jump shot tremendously.  It'd be like you or I shooting a tennis ball.  It's not easy.

[MrTripleDouble10]

I don't mind guys who can't shoot-- unless they play for the Celtics.

I will say that there is no excuse for a professional basketball player to shoot less than 75% from the line.  It's shameful.  They make excuses about guys like Shaq or Ben Wallace whose hands are too big, but that's alot of crap.  Freethrow shooting is 90% mental, and anyone can become good at it with practice.

I was not a believer in this before either, Brick.  But trust me... grab a tennis, softball, or a mini-dunk basketball and try shooting.  It's hard as hell, and that's what it's like for the guys with the huge hands.  I'm not sure if you've ever tried it, but do it for an hour or so.  It's not fun.

[Brickowski]

Alot of professional basketball players have big hands.  Larry Bird had big hands and shot over 90%.

I'm sure I could shoot 75% with a softball if I practiced long enough.

[Prof. Clutch]

Everywhere, in every profession, people have weaknesses and strengths.  Its those specific talents in those diverse fields that make people and styles unique.

No, it doesn't bother me.  Rajon is a perfect example.  Not a very good shooter, but his other talents (quickness, athleticism, passing, etc.) make him a unique player and fun to watch.  Basketball would be incredibly boring if it were all based on jump shots.  It's those different skill sets and abilities going up against one another, countering each other, that make the games so interesting for me.   

I think you can find comparable things like this in almost any profession as well.  An example In my own field, some independent documentary filmmakers make a film without a decent camera (the very heart of what you need to produce something of quality,) but they are still good at telling a story or taking on a subject that is unique or important.

[bMunch]

dennis rodman for threeeeeee!

oh, wait, sorry. that didn't happen.

[Greg]

It bothers me when they can't hit free throws.

Shooting during non-free throw parts of the game, no.

But they call them free throws for a reason and since most players are probably on the court for thousands of hours a year, why they can't spend time learning to hit free throws is ridiculous and embarrassing.

My sentiments exactly.

I play basketball probably 5-10 hours a week.

At practice, on any given day, I hit 80-90% of my free throws.

In my "official" seasons, since 2006 (started keeping stats), I've hit 82%, 80%, 77%, and 83% most recently.

I shoot maybe 100 free throws MAX each time I do my individual workout.  Can't really see how I player like me, who is a rec player, can shoot free throws better than half the league.

It really bothers me.  And as we've seen time and time again, getting to the line and hitting free throws can easily be the difference maker in games.  And considering that these guys play basketball for a living, it should be a complete embarrassment for a player to hit below 70%

[Fafnir]

It bothers me when they can't hit free throws.

Shooting during non-free throw parts of the game, no.

But they call them free throws for a reason and since most players are probably on the court for thousands of hours a year, why they can't spend time learning to hit free throws is ridiculous and embarrassing.

My sentiments exactly.

I play basketball probably 5-10 hours a week.

At practice, on any given day, I hit 80-90% of my free throws.

In my "official" seasons, since 2006 (started keeping stats), I've hit 82%, 80%, 77%, and 83% most recently.

I shoot maybe 100 free throws MAX each time I do my individual workout.  Can't really see how I player like me, who is a rec player, can shoot free throws better than half the league.

It really bothers me.  And as we've seen time and time again, getting to the line and hitting free throws can easily be the difference maker in games.  And considering that these guys play basketball for a living, it should be a complete embarrassment for a player to hit below 70%

You know plenty of rec players who aren't good free throw shooters don't you?

[davemonsterband]

In a league of freaks the jump shot has taken a back seat. Watch and enjoy.