HOW TO SHOOT A FREE THROW
By: Tom O’Halloran
Free throws are important in a basketball game. Although they only give your team one point, it could be the most important points a team needs to win. Many basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) practice their free throws constantly.
Materials:
(1)Basketball
(1)Basketball hoop
(1)Free throw line/Basketball court
(1)Basketball player
Step One: Once fouled, go to the free throw line.
Step Two: Point feet toward the basket, and put feet as close to the line as possible without crossing it. (See Figure one on the next page)
Figure one
Step Three: Once completed step two, keep eyes on the basketball hoop to know where the shot is going. (Figure one)
Step Four: After lining up with the basketball hoop; keep the shooting elbow in as shown in figure two below.
Figure two (Notice how his elbows are in)
Step Five: Keep the ball up. Never have the ball below the waist while shooting a free throw. (See Figure two)
Step Six: While standing at the free throw line and in the motion of shooting, bend the knees. Bending the knees will give the shooter more power and balance in their shot.
Step Seven: Follow through on the shot, but do not step over the line or the free throw would not count. Look at figure three.
Figure three
Shooting a free throw is considered one of the easiest shots in the game today, but people do not know how to shoot a free throw in the correct way. Many basketball players practice free throws in case they get fouled in a game. The practice pays off as they usually make most of their free throws. Most people who play basketball are above average free throw shooters, and they follow these steps to make it.