From: rsmith@strobe.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Russ Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.college
Subject: Re: Free throw shooting
Date: 5 Jan 93 17:35:02 GMT
Organization: Olivetti ATC; Cupertino CA, USA

In article <8339@news.duke.edu> fls@acpub.duke.edu (Forrest Smith) writes:
>
>	The reason three-point shooting is off is because of the
>three-point circle.
>	Before the three-point line was painted, there was only one
>distance of shot to practice, a free throw.  All other shots were taken
>from wherever they became available.
>	The invention of the three-point circle caused two problems.
>First, as I said, players now practice shooting from a second line, one
>about 19'?" from the basket.
>	The second problem is a matter of strength.  As players have
>extended their shooting range to encompass the three-point arc, it has
>become harder for them to hold back a little to hit a free throw.  
>	If the free-throw line were moved to behind the 3-point circle,

I don't think I agree. For one thing the 3 pointer has allowed a lot of
borderline talent players to get PT because they can shoot the 3, and
these players tend to be good foul shooters(although they shoot few 
freethrows because you don't draw fouls shooting 3's). I think the real
problem is simply a shift in emphasis offensively. Teams are placing much
more emphasis on recruiting good athletes who can run and jump and take
the ball hard to the basket. Because these players tend to emphasize the
importance of going to the basket, and many of them are incredible athletes
(like Grant Hill for example), they don't really concentrate on their shot
mechanics until they start looking at the NBA(as Hill has this year).

One thing you notice by looking at stats is that NBA free throw percentages
have been going up while attempts have been going down. More players 
shooting 3's means fewer free throws attempted. But the other thing you
notice is players tend to increase their FT% year after year from when
they enter the league(for the first 4-5 years). I have always attributed
this to the simple fact that in a 82 game season you shoot a lot more
free throws in games and develop a consistency that is hard to develop in
a 35 game college season with large breaks in between games.

In other words, players are not shooting freethrows as well in college because
they are concentrating on other aspects of their game(mainly because schools
are looking for those aspects such as speed and quickness), but if and when
they reach the NBA they in general will improve their free throw shooting.



>better than 50% for 3-pointers.

Only for a very small percentage of guys. There is a huge difference between
a 15 footer and a 19'9" shot. There are few players who could even shoot
50% when open in games, let alone the 80% unguarded(while shooting it as
a freethrow)that you suggest.    

The 3 has opened up the defenses and spread them out, so coahes are recruiting
either guys who shoot 3's or guys who have the quickness to exploit the 
spread out defenses, and these quick guys tend to not be good shooters because
they rely on their quickness.




Russ Smith
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"Chapeau means hat, oeuf means egg, its as if those French have a different 
word for everything!" 
                                        Steve Martin
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Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.college