Could you train Joe Average to be a top free throw shooter? How long?

ArturiusX · #1 03-28-2007, 03:37 AM

Hypothetical: Suppose you had an average guy off the street, might have played sports in college, slightly out of shape, works a desk job, and hasn't touched a basketball in years.

The best way to determine is would be a 500 free throws vs 300 free throw, our Joe Average vs a random NBA player (or, 5 random NBA players, with their free throw numbers for the 500 shots averaged out, if you want to make it more statistical). Could we train Joe Average to beat this number?

Would this be possible, considering you could train him to specialize in ONLY free throw shooting? Would it take one year? If not one year, how long would it take? Two years? Three years? This is considering full time study and dedication to free throw shooting (so, Mr Joe Average will quit his job happily to partake in this adventure).

alphatmw · #2 03-28-2007, 04:44 AM

in 1 year, yes. free throw shooting is all about muscle memory. once he learns proper form, his percentage shooting will increase every week, until he peaks. he won't be among the best free throw shooters in the NBA but he'll shoot better than the average NBA player, who does not have nearly the same dedication to free throws.

Shandrax · #3 03-28-2007, 05:43 AM

Slightly offtopic, what are the chances to pick a woman named Annie or Jennifer and turn her into a top poker pro if your firstname is Phil or Howard?

drunkencowboy · #4 03-28-2007, 12:02 PM

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Slightly offtopic, what are the chances to pick a woman named Annie or Jennifer and turn her into a top poker pro if your firstname is Phil or Howard?

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I presume you mean Howard Ledderer - this guy is no good at poker, sorry...

As for the OP. Well, Im sure Dirk Nowitzki/Steve Nash were on the average joe level at one point in their life. So certainly you could get someone to that level over SOME period of time...

Im not sure what the average free throw shooting is right now, but hell, I can probably shoot at that level (when you throw Shaq into the mix)... I think you mean making the average Joe the top freethrow shooter. This would take a very very long time and may not be possible for an average joe.

David Sklansky · #5 03-28-2007, 03:27 PM

Almost certainly he should be shooting underhand. And I would guess there are many hundreds of people right now who could beat any NBA player under non game conditions.

drunkencowboy · #6 03-28-2007, 03:39 PM

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Almost certainly he should be shooting underhand. And I would guess there are many hundreds of people right now who could beat any NBA player under non game conditions.

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ok. gotta ask... why should he certainly shoot the ball underhand?

Steve Nash has a lifetime FFP of 89.6%... This means almost 90% for probably over 1000 shots (not sure how many total)... I wouldnt imagine anyone could do any better than that although there is the possibility.

adios · #7 03-28-2007, 03:53 PM

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Almost certainly he should be shooting underhand. And I would guess there are many hundreds of people right now who could beat any NBA player under non game conditions.

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ok. gotta ask... why should he certainly shoot the ball underhand?

Steve Nash has a lifetime FFP of 89.6%... This means almost 90% for probably over 1000 shots (not sure how many total)... I wouldnt imagine anyone could do any better than that although there is the possibility.

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Rick Barry (at least for his NBA career, not sure about ABA but probably). Guess how Rick Barry shot free throws [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]. I know that Mark Price had over made over 90% of his free throws during his career and Calvin Murphy made 89+%. Price and Murphy both had conventional styles.

adios · #8 03-28-2007, 04:05 PM

Doubtful that the average guy off the street could do it in my mind. Also shooting free throws under game conditions is much different than shooting them in non game conditions. For one thing the adrenlin is pumping much harder in games. FWIW what I see as the biggest problem in the NBA with free throw shooting is form. A lot of players just stand flat footed at the line and shoot without bending their knees and getting their bodies more into the shots. Lebron James is good example of what I'm referring to.

emerson · #9 03-28-2007, 04:12 PM

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Well, Im sure Dirk Nowitzki/Steve Nash were on the average joe level at one point in their life. So certainly you could get someone to that level over SOME period of time...

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No, I seriously doubt that Nash and Nowitzki were ever on the average Joe level. They probably showed exceptional coordination from a very early age.

David Sklansky · #10 03-28-2007, 04:16 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Almost certainly he should be shooting underhand. And I would guess there are many hundreds of people right now who could beat any NBA player under non game conditions.

[/ QUOTE ]

ok. gotta ask... why should he certainly shoot the ball underhand?

Steve Nash has a lifetime FFP of 89.6%... This means almost 90% for probably over 1000 shots (not sure how many total)... I wouldnt imagine anyone could do any better than that although there is the possibility.

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There are people who are 99% under non game conditions. Actually it would make sense that none of the top 100 free throw shooters would make it in the NBA. There is very little correlation.

As for underhand, the ball is near the top of its arc when it reaches the basket.