Noa Dalzell, an NBA writer covering the Boston Celtics, posted a video of Jaylen Brown engaged in repetitive free-throw practice with three coaches after a recent Boston Celtics’ practice, and wrote, “Jaylen Brown, who shot 75% from the line in the Eastern Conference semifinals, is getting some free throw work in at practice.”
As a strength and conditioning coach I never had my basketball team shoot more than two free throws and it was always after sprinting baseline to baseline. My premise is that in a game you shoot free throws when your pulse is elevated therefore when we would practice we shot free throws under the same conditions.
I’m not a fan of repetitive free throw shooting practice, but I do think there’s a more subtle angle to the “rhythm” argument— that, to the extent that you get into a groove with repetitive free throws, it can introduce a player to what it feels like to shoot without overthinking or focusing too much on what the body is doing. Granted, you still have to learn how to get into that state immediately after being fouled mid-game when tired and under pressure, but, especially for younger players, I think that can be an instructive experience.
As a strength and conditioning coach I never had my basketball team shoot more than two free throws and it was always after sprinting baseline to baseline. My premise is that in a game you shoot free throws when your pulse is elevated therefore when we would practice we shot free throws under the same conditions.
I’m not a fan of repetitive free throw shooting practice, but I do think there’s a more subtle angle to the “rhythm” argument— that, to the extent that you get into a groove with repetitive free throws, it can introduce a player to what it feels like to shoot without overthinking or focusing too much on what the body is doing. Granted, you still have to learn how to get into that state immediately after being fouled mid-game when tired and under pressure, but, especially for younger players, I think that can be an instructive experience.