Wisconsin's Ryan Evans is Perfecting the Jumpshot Free Throw
Wisconsin's Ryan Evans entered last night's game shooting a measley 40 percent from the line despite shooting the most free throws (126) of anyone on his team. That's a lot of lost points, if you're Dentyne-chomping Bo Ryan.
The coach suggested Evans attempt his free throws as jumpshots, and the forward took him up on the suggestion proceeded to go 2/2 from the line, meaning there's a good chance we'll get to see more of this.
Here's video of the act from Wisconsin blog Bucky's 5th Quarter.
Comments
What a goober.
So weird.....
I wonder if he cut his flat-top and surrendered to the mighty buzzcut, maybe he'd shoot free throws better.
For some reason I always thought this was not allowed.
i thought so as well. I thought there was a rule that, to shoot a free throw, you had to have both feet always in contact with the ground.
When I was a youngin', i shot a free throw while jumping, and I got scolded by my brother and friends, and was made fun of and ridiculed and gained a lot of weight because I turned to candy and ice cream to hide my shame....
Nah... You just can't cross the line.
I think they teach you not to jump because A.) it's easier to cross that line if you jump and B.) it's usually easier to shoot a free throw with both feet on the ground (more control and easier to let muscle memory do most of the work)
Years ago, teams could pass the ball over the backboard or take a running start when attempting a foul shot. The former was outlawed because Chamberlain would use the backboard as a screen, cherry-picking passes and converting them into layups; the latter was banned after Chamberlain took a running start, leapt from the foul line and dunked the ball.
So i ate in shame for no reason... damnit....
He should go the underhand route.
Agree.
Honestly, good for him. I have seen some good shooters shoot worse from the foul line than anywhere else and have thought they should try this. Of course people are going to make fun of him, but good for him for doing something a bit unusual to improve.
I realize it is a different type of shot, but I've always wondered why some guys who are good shooters struggle mightily at the charity stripe. But you're right, good for him. Last I checked, as long as you don't cross the line and the ball goes in, it counts as a point. If it works, why not.
I think sometimes people have a harder time blocking out the distractions on the foul line than in the course of play. Stepping into a shot in rhythm is easier to do IMO, so spinning the ball to yourself as if receiving a pass and then going up and shooting with no one in your face is probably pretty easy for good shooters. The big issue is that the more movement there is in someone's shooting motion the more likely for something to go wrong, so the standing set shot largely eliminates that variable. But if you can only get that type of rhythm through a jump shot, then I say go for it!!
Absolutely agree. Props for him for having the balls to do something different to try to help his team. Though I hope he fails miserably if we play them again.
Completely agree RDubs. If it works, why not? It's just a jump shot at the free throw line...although that may be different, I don't see anything wrong with it or even think it's silly looking. Just a jump shot free throw.
The world is full of kings & queens who'll blind your eyes & steal your dreams - it's heaven & hell - Ronnie James Dio.
Whatever works for him, I suppose. If it gets Wisky the points, I don't think Bo minds how it looks.
Glad to see he is actually trying to fix the problem. He was a 73% free throw shooter last year, so it was abnormal that his FT percentage dropped so low this year. Ken Pomeroy has a good write-up about it in his blog...
http://kenpom.com/blog/index.php/weblog/entry/what_would_you_do_with_rya...
The only other part of the rule is you have to stay in the half circle behind the charity stripe once you receive the ball. Technically, one could run around in tiny circles and huck up a sky hook, if they wanted.
****igan smells like old water that hot dogs were boiled in. FACT
Had he been a decent mid-range shooter but couldn't knock down a foul shot to save his life it wouldn't be as odd but the fact that he went from 73% over a full season down to 38% from the line just one year later is amazing. That's Rick Ankiel kind of sh*t.
i am more of a fan of the Nick Van Exel free throw