Shaq

[Murphy3]

I heard something interesting about Shaq today that I had never heard before. I'm not sure if this is true or not but it is of interest.

From what I've heard, Shaq fell out of a tree when he was younger and presumably broke his wrists and did some more damage to them. What does this have to do with anything you might ask?
well, supposedly, he doesn't have the ability to bend them as much as other people..doesn't have full range of movement which would limit his ability to bend his wrist back far enough to get proper rotation on his free throws.

well, it's as good as any excuse that I've heard. why else would a guy that has spent as much time as he has on free throws still not be able to hit much more than 50%

or, is this just some type of lame excuse?

[MFFL]

If he has an injury then he should shoot the underhand free throws - very high percentage but it looks dumb. I've seen tape of Shaq hitting 100 free throws in a row. He can do it in practice but not games - I think it's mental which is why it was a smart move by Cuban to complain to the league office about Shaq's "illegal" free throw motion.

[Hoover]

Murph, it's true, or at least I have heard the same thing several times. Watch him when he shoots free throws tonight (and Lord know he'll shoot plenty). He pushes the ball to the goal instead of popping his wrist. The ball looks like a knuckleball floating up to the rim.

[Rhylan]

I've never heard that, and although it sounds logical, my first instinct is to call bullshit.

[Hoopsmeister]

I have heard it several times from reputable sports reporters. I generally assume its true but agree with those who point out that he could just shoot them granny-style if he was really interested in improving that part of his game.

[Fidel]

Yep,
I heard that one before several times. Makes sense, but could also be a cheap excuse.

[reeds]

I have heard a similar story, but it wasnt falling off a tree, it was a bike accident. Either way, I think his damn hands are too big. I know it sounds dumb, but this hands are so big its like shot-putting the ball to the basket? Who knows, but I still say there is no excuse for his poor free throw shooting....

[Mavinator]

Dikembe Mutombo has the biggest hands in the league and he can shoot free throws pretty decently...

[reeds]

bigger than Shaqs? Im not saying your wrong but....ya i am..NO WAY...lol

[TheKid]

I've heard it before and actually it doesn't matter in my opinion. I've thought about this since they changed that rule that in the last two minutes if you intentionally foul someone they can send whomever to the free throw line the HACK A SHAQ plan isn't really as a effective.

Think about it, they foul the man and the clock stops. The guy makes only 50% of his free throws but he goes to the line more than anyone else in the league. So for arguments sake lets say he's taking about 16 free throws a game and on average he's making 8 of them, that's about what the majority of people make in free throw attempts so I don't think it's really as important as it used to be.

Also from the playoffs the last two years, he's shown an ability to make his free throws when it counts so I think the free throw scenerio isn't as big a deal as it used to be.

[Murphy3]

actually...making 8 is more than 90-95% of the players in the NBA

[TheKid]

Exactly, and I think more teams are starting to realize that, that's the reason the Hack a Shaq is going away. I don't have as big a problem with the missed free throws as everyone else. Like I said, if I have a player that can score between 8-10 points from the free throw line a game, I don't care if it takes him 20 shots to do that. He's still the MOST DOMINATING PLAYER IN THE GAME and alters an entire game. I think ANYONE would be willing to deal with his free throw shooting problem, and like it.

[Mavinator]

Deke's hands are bigger than Shaq's. Sports Illustrated says so...

[madape]

Shawn Bradley has big hands too, and he is one of the best free throw shooters in the league.