Butler's Free Throw Shooting

[Demondog]

As great as Butler played Saturday night he has got to improve his free throw shooting. Not really sure, just asking but have we had another point guard shoot free throws at a 62.8% clip? There was a thread that stated that we were the best in the nation, my thought is that we could be but having a team average of 70.3% is well below the 73 -75 national percentile. Even though it was a good win it should not have been that close, of the 10 free throws missed Butler missed 5.

 

[Smashcat]

but having a team average of 70.3% is well below the 73 -75 national percentile.

That will come back to bite us.

 

[king of cali]

Turner and Rondo.

 

[ala_kat2]

I don’t know if there’s something wrong with his shouting form or if he’s just not putting enough emphasis on it. Anyone who can hit 6-6 threes should be able to hit free throws. If I had to guess, I’d say that he’s just not taking them seriously enough especially early in the game.

 

[Fitch44]

Up 30-22 in first half and over the course of a min we miss 4 in a row. 2 by Amari and 2 by butler.
I was so pissed.
Free throws will decide lots of games in sec, I hope it improves.

 

[ala_kat2]

Turner and Rondo.

Yes, but those guys couldn’t make shots from 3-pt range.

 

[JFCats22]

FTs cost Illinois an upset of Tennessee on Saturday. UK has to improve at the FT line.

 

[JonathanW]

I have us at 72.3%, not 70.3%.

But I still agree, that Butler and Garrison need to improve their FT %. Williams, is FT shot is so F*ed up there is no quick-fix to that, that would take a summer of work to fix. But EVERYONE else on the team (except those 3) is 75%+.

 

[westerncat]

As great as Butler played Saturday night he has got to improve his free throw shooting. Not really sure, just asking but have we had another point guard shoot free throws at a 62.8% clip? There was a thread that stated that we were the best in the nation, my thought is that we could be but having a team average of 70.3% is well below the 73 -75 national percentile. Even though it was a good win it should not have been that close, of the 10 free throws missed Butler missed 5.

Played i think 32 minutes, I think he will be fine. Williams is the one that needs to work on his FT's .

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

Butler's stroke looks reasonably good from the stripe. He just needs confidence and smash it.

 

[G-PIP]

Butler is actually shooting FTs better than he did last season. But that is odd too because he shot well above 70% at the FT line his sophomore and junior seasons. I don't have a good guess for why Butler doesn't shoot FTs a little better. His form looks ok, and he's proven he can shoot it more consistently.

 

[Ron Mehico]

Been one of the bigger disappointments for me this year, hopefully we can improve from the stripe as season goes on.

 

[The_Answer1313]

He's at 66.8% in his college career.

I mean it's great to hope that he improves but realistically I think we should just all expect around that mark.

 

[G-PIP]

FTs cost Illinois an upset of Tennessee on Saturday. UK has to improve at the FT line.

The "problem" for UK a little bit is that two of the 3 guys going to the line the most (Williams and Butler) are shooting the worst from the FT line (62% - Garrison is basically 62% also). Butler has proven in the past that he can be a better FT shooter, but Williams is right in line with his history - and with the form and way he looks shooting FTs, I'm kind of surprised Williams shoots it as well as he does.

 

[The_Answer1313]

The D-1 avg this year is 71.4%
We are at 72.3% as a team

So it's not as if we are awful. We are just average. That's ok.

Might it be our downfall in a specific game. Yeah sure. As pretty much any other stat in a specific game.

Wisconsin is currently at 84.8%. But in a single game scenario it could be their downfall as well.

 

[Slowwalker]

I don’t know if there’s something wrong with his shouting form or if he’s just not putting enough emphasis on it. Anyone who can hit 6-6 threes should be able to hit free throws. If I had to guess, I’d say that he’s just not taking them seriously enough especially early in the game.

Some players do better when they catch and shoot or don’t have to think about the shot too much. He could just be inside his own head…

 

[Slowwalker]

He’s up from his 59.4% last season….oof! I think I could beat that.

 

[HeartofUlis]

He said he would work on it. That's really all we can ask.

 

[UKSanders]

Turner and Rondo.

Forgot Rondo was so bad...
NBA = 41.8%
UK = 57.7%

 

[UKSanders]

The "problem" for UK a little bit is that two of the 3 guys going to the line the most (Williams and Butler) are shooting the worst from the FT line (62% - Garrison is basically 62% also). Butler has proven in the past that he can be a better FT shooter, but Williams is right in line with his history - and with the form and way he looks shooting FTs, I'm kind of surprised Williams shoots it as well as he does.

Yep, with Williams, I commented earlier this season that if he would just use a LITTLE more arc, his FT% would go up...he just shoots such a line drive

 

[Smashcat]

Forgot Rondo was so bad...
NBA = 41.8%
UK = 57.7%

 

[megablue]

Lamont Butler's career percentage from the free-throw line is 66.8% ...

Lamont Butler College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Lamont Butler - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more

www.sports-reference.com

 

[silentsaregolden2.0]

As great as Butler played Saturday night he has got to improve his free throw shooting. Not really sure, just asking but have we had another point guard shoot free throws at a 62.8% clip? There was a thread that stated that we were the best in the nation, my thought is that we could be but having a team average of 70.3% is well below the 73 -75 national percentile. Even though it was a good win it should not have been that close, of the 10 free throws missed Butler missed 5.

Teague wasn't great from the charity stripe if memory serves.

 

[silentsaregolden2.0]

I've noticed that his misses appear to be very similar, and I think it has to do with the arc of his shot. Whereas a lot of shots come in at around a 45 degree angle, his misses are somewhat higher than that, and consequently the ball bounces up and away from the center of the hoop. Those seldom drop back in.

 

[silentsaregolden2.0]

The D-1 avg this year is 71.4%
We are at 72.3% as a team

So it's not as if we are awful. We are just average. That's ok.

Might it be our downfall in a specific game. Yeah sure. As pretty much any other stat in a specific game.

Wisconsin is currently at 84.8%. But in a single game scenario it could be their downfall as well.

A few games ago, were were I think 15-16 near the end of the game, with Carr going to the line. He's a good FT shooter, but he missed both. You could never win money betting on FT shooting.

 

[silentsaregolden2.0]

The "problem" for UK a little bit is that two of the 3 guys going to the line the most (Williams and Butler) are shooting the worst from the FT line (62% - Garrison is basically 62% also). Butler has proven in the past that he can be a better FT shooter, but Williams is right in line with his history - and with the form and way he looks shooting FTs, I'm kind of surprised Williams shoots it as well as he does.

Also, with the offense we run, Williams has the ball a lot and will be a prime target to get fouled in must foul situations. And our PG isn't much better. That's an issue we have to find a solution for.

 

[silentsaregolden2.0]

FTs cost Illinois an upset of Tennessee on Saturday. UK has to improve at the FT line.

And that was from their leading scorer, and leading FT and 3 pt shooter.

 

[megablue]

Teague wasn't great from the charity stripe if memory serves.

Decent ... not great ... Teague shot 71.4% in his only year at Kentucky. However, he shot lower in his pro career at 66.1% ...

Marquis Teague College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Marquis Teague - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more

www.sports-reference.com

Marquis Teague Career Stats - NBA - ESPN

Complete career NBA stats for the Memphis Grizzlies Guard Marquis Teague on ESPN. Includes points, rebounds, and assists.

www.espn.com

 

[Blue wood]

The guy scored 33. Had rather had that than the 4 missed free throws. You chicken littles ...

 

[bluefaithful]

I have us at 72.3%, not 70.3%.

But I still agree, that Butler and Garrison need to improve their FT %. Williams, is FT shot is so F*ed up there is no quick-fix to that, that would take a summer of work to fix. But EVERYONE else on the team (except those 3) is 75%+.

Not allowed to use facts in RAFTERS, What are you doing?

 

[Demondog]

The guy scored 33. Had rather had that than the 4 missed free throws. You chicken littles ...

I think we're all grateful for the 33 points, the point I was making was that as a guard his free throw shooting should be a lot better.

 

[Basscat1987]

Played i think 32 minutes, I think he will be fine. Williams is the one that needs to work on his FT's .

Saying Williams needs to work on his free throws is like saying Shaq needs to work on his free throws. It would be a waste of time. The form is trash and always is going to be. It is what it is.

 

[MegaBlue05]

If you look at Butler’s career stats, his FT numbers have decreased every year since he was a sophomore.

He shot 77 percent as a sophomore, 73 percent as a junior and 59 percent as a senior. He’s currently shooting 60 percent from the line this year.

It’s definitely a concern. I am just hoping he’s one of the guys who hits them when he needs to.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Probably an unpopular take here but there seems to be this notion that free throws should be free.

That if you are a bad free throw shooter, it just means you need to practice them more to get better.

Maybe that's the case for some but I just think it's a skill just like anything else. Each player is going to have things they are good at and things they aren't good at. It doesn't mean you can't improve through practice but I feel like with players there's certain ceilings on these things.

Like if Butler is a career 68% free throw shooter, he's not going to magically change to become an 80% one. Through practice maybe he could up it a bit, but to me it will always be marginally.

Unless something changes drastically with a player (like a coach points out a flaw in their shot or something), you don't typically see wide differences from year to year. The best estimate for Butler going forward is what he's already shown to do.

 

[ORCAT]

I have us at 72.3%, not 70.3%.

But I still agree, that Butler and Garrison need to improve their FT %. Williams, is FT shot is so F*ed up there is no quick-fix to that, that would take a summer of work to fix. But EVERYONE else on the team (except those 3) is 75%+.

Yes, it is currently 72.3% for the team.

 

[westerncat]

Saying Williams needs to work on his free throws is like saying Shaq needs to work on his free throws. It would be a waste of time. The form is trash and always is going to be. It is what it is.

I disagree , you never stop learning until you die. He can relearn how to shoot them better. Your never to old to learn.

 

[BluPappi81]

As great as Butler played Saturday night he has got to improve his free throw shooting. Not really sure, just asking but have we had another point guard shoot free throws at a 62.8% clip? There was a thread that stated that we were the best in the nation, my thought is that we could be but having a team average of 70.3% is well below the 73 -75 national percentile. Even though it was a good win it should not have been that close, of the 10 free throws missed Butler missed 5.

As a Pacers fan back in the day, I saw Reggie Miller make a LOT of money in part because he was a super high % FT shooter( and big time scorer). Kept him on the court most all game and always at winning time. I don’t get how players, especially those w aspirations to play professionally, wouldn’t practice FTs until their fingers bleed.

 

[Runnin'Ramel]

It's odd and frustrating, because it's not like his stroke is awful like Rondo/Turner.

We all know all too well that free throws have almost assuredly cost UK 2 national titles (Nazr in 1997, T-Jones in 2011), possibly 3 if you look at PJ Washington's tourney performance or other Calipari losses.

 

[Digger-Cat]

Up 30-22 in first half and over the course of a min we miss 4 in a row. 2 by Amari and 2 by butler.
I was so pissed.
Free throws will decide lots of games in sec, I hope it improves.

Carr missed a pair too

Missing free throws will cost you games and the SEC is not the league to be in if you can't hit freebies. Every game is going to come down to the wire.

 

[Digger-Cat]

Probably an unpopular take here but there seems to be this notion that free throws should be free.

That if you are a bad free throw shooter, it just means you need to practice them more to get better.

Maybe that's the case for some but I just think it's a skill just like anything else. Each player is going to have things they are good at and things they aren't good at. It doesn't mean you can't improve through practice but I feel like with players there's certain ceilings on these things.

Like if Butler is a career 68% free throw shooter, he's not going to magically change to become an 80% one. Through practice maybe he could up it a bit, but to me it will always be marginally.

Unless something changes drastically with a player (like a coach points out a flaw in their shot or something), you don't typically see wide differences from year to year. The best estimate for Butler going forward is what he's already shown to do.

That would be the case if Butler shot his free throws like Bill Cartwright, but since his shooting form and release is very good, it comes down to mindset and concentration, maybe a little bit of muscle memory.

This is something you do have to practice to get your range down.

These guys have all proven they can hit them, but for some reason, they go through spells where they miss. This isn't about talent.

Heck, Amari Williams sucked at the beginning of the season, it's obvious he worked on it, he is much better now.