A Free-Throw Expert’s Advice for Giannis: Just Shoot It

His routine is the same every time: one deep breath, two dribbles, then the shot. The entire sequence takes about three seconds, he said. He does not want to be at the line forever.

“If you spend too much time there, you think about too much,” he said.

In fact, Flory avoids stationing himself at the line during games before he needs to. Instead, he said, he meanders out to the 3-point arc to “socialize” with his teammates and confer with them about defensive assignments or their next possession — anything to keep his mind off the free throw itself.

“And when the ref motions me, like, ‘Let’s go,’ then I go to the line,” he said.

Antetokounmpo, on the other hand, is at the line for so long, he should be paying rent. Even before he receives the ball from the referee, he rehearses his form. He would be wise to eliminate the clutter, Flory said.

Flory’s process has been highly effective. His perfect record from the stripe includes his freshman season as a preferred walk-on at Seton Hall (6 of 6) and an injury-marred sophomore season on scholarship at Albany (2 of 2).

During a college career hindered by a series of chronic injuries, Flory has had three surgeries on his left foot and one on his right. Finally healthy, he enrolled at Wisconsin-Stevens Point and played well last season, averaging nearly 21 points and 6 rebounds a game. Toward the end of the season, opponents became aware of his free-throw streak.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/17/sports/basketball/giannis-antetokounmpo-free-throws.html