How to Shoot a Free Throw

Hello my name is joseph Gonzalez, I have been playing basketball since my sophomore year of high school. Knowing how to shoot free throws well and consistently is an essential part of any basketball player’s skillset. Whether you’re a point guard or a center, you won’t get any minutes if you can’t hit free throws. Today I’m going to not only teach you step by step how to shoot a free throw, but I’m also going to give some helpful tips on how to improve your technique once you have the basics down. Once you have perfected free throws, expect to see more playing time from your coach. All you need is a basketball and a hoop.

Basketball, Hoop

The first step is to make sure you place your feet in the proper position on free throw line. Place shooting hand side foot exactly on the center of the free throw line( some courts have a nail indicating the center of the line). Place other foot slightly back from the free throw line. Keep your body weight as balanced as possible for stability.

The next step is the pre shot ritual. Every player has a different free throw routine, find one that feels natural to you, whether it be dribbling 3 times then shooting, or shooting immediately after receiving the ball from the ref. This ritual should be the same before every free throw. Doing the same exact thing every time you shoot a free throw will ensure you have a high free throw percentage.

The next step is to take the shot. Every players shot is slightly different, however following 4 basic rules called B.E.E.F will help insure you hit your shots.

B. Balance: make sure weight is centered, feet shoulder width apart

E. Eyes: Look directly at where you want the ball to go, usually the center of the rim

E. Elbow: elbow starts at 90 degrees, proper shooting form

F. Follow through: Proper shooting form, wrist arched

Following these steps will increase the number of free
throws you are able to hit, and will help you improve as a basketball player in general.