So CooL SoCooL Rick Barry Underhand Free Throw Preview

[bugabudon]

In the late fifties I tried out for my high school basketball team but didn't make it. The head coach allowed you to shoot any way you wished as long as you could demonstrate that you could shoot 9 out of 10 from the foul line. Otherwise you were required to shoot underhanded. Most players shot underhanded because of that. Our team went to the state championship game, not winning, but played. Opponents avoided fouls because the team as a whole, was deadly from the line. It works.

[Seebr115]

There are plenty in the NBA who could use Barry's technique. Shaq was one of them who dismissed it. He could have upped his game if he used Barry's technique.

[socoolbob]

@hameed @hameed You are correct. Andris Biedrins completed last season as the worst free throw shooter, for a season, in NBA history. 17 percent. 17 percent despite the fact that many, many, many have recommended HE shoot free throws underhand.

Currently Andris is NOT shooting the shot this way.

Has declined it several times.

Considers it disrespectful to suggest it.

[twisterfield651]

i can get underhand 3 pointers XD

[timsk]

@hameed Thats not really the point. Shaq is still bad. Rick had a real good point about him being a no factor at the end of close games. Why do you think nelson came up with the "hack-a-shaq" strategy towards the end of games?

Another point that rick barry makes at the end of his video with red auerbach is to do what is comfortable for you. For shaq, he does what is normal for him shooting FTs and he still sucks at it.

[socoolbob]

See YouTube Video "Bob's Free Throws"

Which includes a challenge to Andris Biedrins

[hameed]

ahh thanks! I'll definitely take a look at this!

[ayatollahrocknroll45]

hope he will be teaching shaq the underhand free throw

[meklomaniac]

shaq would have been so much better(saying would cos he doesn't have a lot of years in him anymore.) if he could score freethrows, more points and people wouldn't just foul him.

[Moviegod37]

Free throw shooting is a lost art. It embarrasses me to watch college players who are considered scorers but shoot 70% or less from the foul line. I don't know when or how that became acceptable as 'good.' But guys would rather work on there bullsh*t "And 1" moves than free throws. Ironically, the name 'And 1' implies that you have to make a foul shot...

[kperk014]

I'm glad I watched this. I had never seen Rick draw iron before! Most of the time the net didn't even move!

[socoolbob]

And .. perfectly shot .. the ball will actually spin back to the shooter !!!

[Deadhunter22]

well shaq is average at 62.8% free throw shooting this season with the suns. I think the training they gave him helped alot.

[socoolbob]

You're right .. another 18% and he'll catch

me

[reno93535]

Some of the comments here are amazing. Shaq loses games because of his FT%. One guy here says, "Shaq doesn't want to shoot FT's like a lilbitch." Today's players run faster, are bigger, stronger, and dumber, overall, than past players. They pose after every dunk, every blocked shot, don't care much for team ball. Hence they are losing to European teams in recent Championships. They don't care to improve, if it means shooting "underhand". Looks mean everything.

[CerebralPrince10]

1. give Shaq some credit (MVP, 3 Finals MVP

2. I wouldn't consider anyone who averages 25ppg for a career to be dumb (he obviously plays to his strengths)

3. He has every right to pose after ever good play. gaining momentum and boosting your self play is a good thing.

4. Team ball? (4 NBA championships ring a bell)

5.European teams (08 team that destroyed every other country ring a bell)

Not to say that Shaq's freethrow is acceptable but "dont care to improve" undermines the work hes put it

[JacobReesor]

I agree with you but what Rick Barry is saying is that if he could nail his free throws then he would be even better.

[socoolbob]

YES .. And The Principle That Applies To

ALL OF US

Is the way that we all IMPROVE

Is By Multiplying Positives

[h1yaaaguy]

peja stojakovich

[flip4000]

shack chosing not to signifigantly improve his game for the sake of looking stupid is idiotic and incredibly insecure.

unless hed loose endorsments, and thats a money decision not a game one.

[socoolbob]

Personally .. I have to believe that anybody with the "balls" to shoot underhand free throws successfully would AUTOMATICALLY BE the subject of several endorsements.

[flip4000]

hey im not denying that it would be great and that people have to get over it. but if shack looses his "cool" factor he'll loose money. stats and scores only get you so far in the world of money, basketball is a sport where people are very conserned about how they appear, so much so that hindering there own game is worth while to them. until that culture changes or some one who isnt concerned about street cred comes along. the're to afraid to look "uncool", insecure.

[flip4000]

shack has endorsments to loose not to gain like other players.

[cyberob12]

Shaq is fat and stupid because he have should listened to Rick Barry. It bothers me that some players of today don't have the fundamentals. Shaq couldn't carry Wilt or Kareem's gear.

[socoolbob]

What's really fascinating to me is that NOBODY shoots underhand free throws. That's like a Universal Ban on doing something that is EASILY CAPABLE of DEMONSTRATING THAT IT CAN BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.

NOBODY

[LeO23xX]

i believe everyone has their own shooting form and not because rick barry has a great undershot then the undershot is the best way

i believe u just have to shoot the way u feel more comfortable besides changing the way of shooting during the game doesnt seem like a good idea to me , and each time u shoot u should get a better " timing" so that u would like improve with each shot ;)

but still rick barry was one of the best freethrow shooters on the nba ( if not the best )

[ichigorukawa5443]

hes on what team?

[socoolbob]

He's In The NBA Hall Of Fame

Voted As One Of Top Fifty All Time

Only player in history to lead ALL in scoring ...

NCAA, ABA, NBA

[lilbrogtheoneandonly]

Its the nba you have to understand why shaq does not want to shot freethrows like a lil bitch.

[socoolbob]

to librogtheoneandonly

Believe me, very few people "understand" as well as I

a) results don't matter

b) what a person thinks matters

c) what other people think matters

d) biotch's don't shoot the shot this way either

And it ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT MATTER .. how many times the ball goes in the hole.

[billyisballing]

Taller players aren't good free throw shooters.

[socoolbob]

And .. they could be a LOT better.

[Mrpaddletennis]

could but they aren't

[reno93535]

Bullshit. Yao Ming shoots near 80%.

[reno93535]

That's why the NBA has so many dumb players. If Rick Barry was playing now, he'd own the league.

[socoolbob]

Happy Anniversary Underhand Free Throw Preview

I recently reported that after a year and a half of the "Rick Barry Teaches Underhand Free Throw Video (Original)" ... 3 folks per hour have watched that video ... and still ... "nobody that I know of" has taken the teachings of this "master" and put them to use.

True story?

[cyberob12]

Shaq's comments were dumb and he could not carry mr Rick Barry or Karemm Abdul Jabbar's jock strap.

[takeit2thecourtmang]

Rick barry is a gay mofo.

who shoots a ugly granny shot

I dont care about your %

once u step to the foul line like that

u must be a scrub.

[socoolbob]

#2 Free Throw Shooter In The History Of The NBA

Equals

Scrub ... OK

[takeit2thecourtmang]

Rick Barry is a great free throw shooter.

I said if you step to the line like that people will assume ur a scrub.

[socoolbob]

God Bless The People who aren't always as smart as they ought to be. God Bless the people who consider something besides results ...

God Bless the people who voted for the Iraq War because they didn't want other people to think they were soft on terrorism.

As I recall, having been around when Rick Barry was playing, NOBODY .. I mean NOBODY (Rick Barry Was Voted As One Of The Top 50 NBA Players Of ALL TIME) thought Rick Barry

was a scrub.

I guess you mean if "I/You" shot them that way. I do.

[reno93535]

He was NBA MVP, won an NBA Championship, and led the league in free throw percentage a few years, shooting underhand. You'd rather lose a game because you wouldn't shoot free throws underhand. Says alot about you.

[stxguy911]

this is just stupid. nice head mic too

[socoolbob]

Stupid ... smart ... effective ... these are just a few of the choices.

I'm not sure about the what's, why's and wherefore's of a lot of things ... but .. I've discovered that myself and others find ... head microphones like that work better than other choices in some situations.

[socoolbob]

Big Foot !!

[zygoose]

lol he got pissed about shaq

[thunderstruck665]

Heh, yeah I can't say I blame him. It was a pretty ignorant statement on Shaq's behalf. It's not the first time he's done something like that either. He made a statement about Kareem Abdul Jabbar once saying that he played an "Old man's game". When asked what he thought, Kareem responded, "Hilarious. Coming from him? Hilarious." Shaq definitely has a tendency to stick his foot in his mouth.