NBA: Why can't Shaq make those free throws?

[Nocturnal]

I'm wondering why he can't make those free throws. Is it really because he is cock-eyed or is his hand-eye coordination from that far from the hoop suck that badly?

 

[bubbadu]

Hands are too massive. Hes gotten better, he used to be even worse!

 

[CellarDoor]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
I'm wondering why he can't make those free throws. Is it really because he is cock-eyed or is his hand-eye coordination from that far from the hoop suck that badly?

Have you ever had one of those plastic basketball hoops that you hang over a door and play on? It's pretty hard to make a shot from 15 feet consistently on one of those. The problem is, that the ball they give you is proportional to the hoop, but it is still a small ball. It's hard to shoot the same shot everytime when your hand is so big relative to the ball.

 

[jagec]

He isn't that great a basketball player on the professional level, he's just tall, and that's all you need in B-ball?

 

[maddogchen]

can't bend his knees to give the ball a proper arc. old knees

 

[sisq0kidd]

Originally posted by: bubbadu
Hands are too massive. Hes gotten better, he used to be even worse!

No, he use to be even better He's gotten much worse.

 

[Svnla]

Shaq never was a good FT shooter. Even when he was at LSU, he sucked big time. Dale Brown, the LSU coach, tried everything but he never got over 60% and stay there.

I read somewhere <SI I think> that because of his hands, too big and out of proportion. Like us regular folks trying to shoot an orange.

 

[mindwreck]

Originally posted by: mribnik1

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
I'm wondering why he can't make those free throws. Is it really because he is cock-eyed or is his hand-eye coordination from that far from the hoop suck that badly?

Have you ever had one of those plastic basketball hoops that you hang over a door and play on? It's pretty hard to make a shot from 15 feet consistently on one of those. The problem is, that the ball they give you is proportional to the hoop, but it is still a small ball. It's hard to shoot the same shot everytime when your hand is so big relative to the ball.

pretty much the same principal. his hands are too damn big

 

[neegotiator]

i remember rick barry saying something on espn bout how he offered to teach shaq to shoot FT's underhanded, refused b/c it'd look ridiculous

 

[sisq0kidd]

Originally posted by: Svnla
Shaq never was a good FT shooter. Even when he was at LSU, he sucked big time. Dale Brown, the LSU coach, tried everything but he never got over 60% and stay there.

I read somewhere <SI I think> that because of his hands, too big and out of proportion. Like us regular folks trying to shoot an orange.

I'm good at shooting oranges so that excuse goes out the window.

 

[CellarDoor]

Originally posted by: neegotiator
i remember rick barry saying something on espn bout how he offered to teach shaq to shoot FT's underhanded, refused b/c it'd look ridiculous

pretty stupid on Shaq's part too. It's not like anybody is going to make fun of a 7' 350 pound man, especially if he goes from 40% to 80% from the line.

 

[buzzsaw13]

Originally posted by: jagec
He isn't that great a basketball player on the professional level, he's just tall, and that's all you need in B-ball?

Do you even watch basketball? Shaq is one of the best Centers ever.

 

[Apex]

Um, cause his eyes are 1cm apart? Your depth perception would suck too.

 

[Syringer]

Are Yao's hands smaller than Shaq's?

 

[buzzsaw13]

Originally posted by: Syringer
Are Yao's hands smaller than Shaq's?

He's got 4 inches on Shaq and he weighs about 30 pounds lighter, I'm guessing his hands should be a lot smaller.

 

[Syringer]

Why would they be a lot smaller? A person who's 5 inches taller than me would most definitely have bigger hands than someone who's 30 lb. heavier.

 

[MrDingleDangle]

Originally posted by: buzzsaw13

Originally posted by: Syringer
Are Yao's hands smaller than Shaq's?

He's got 4 inches on Shaq and he weighs about 30 pounds lighter, I'm guessing his hands should be a lot smaller.

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Compo...30/050130_shaq_yao_hmed_1p.hmedium.jpg

seems like his hands might even be bigger (but not fatter)

http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~who/yao%20ming%20vs%20shaq.jpg

 

[buzzsaw13]

Originally posted by: Syringer
Why would they be a lot smaller? A person who's 5 inches taller than me would most definitely have bigger hands than someone who's 30 lb. heavier.

By smaller I thought you meant skinnier

 

[Conky]

It's simple... he doesn't practice his free throws enough.

/thread

 

[zainali]

Originally posted by: Crazyfool
It's simple... he doesn't practice his free throws enough.

/thread

more like he never learned to shoot properly. he throws the ball up when he shoots free throws. its not even a real shot.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

he makes them when it counts though

or so he says...

 

[sisq0kidd]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
he makes them when it counts though

or so he says...

Pfft, free throws always count. Does Shaq not understand that basketball is a cumulative game where free throws from the first quarter are applied to the final tally?

 

[Nocturnal]

Wow that is awesome guys. I had never heard about his hands being too big. Thanks for the clarification and I truly appreciate. Now I know why. Excellent info!

 

[Miramonti]

Phil Jackson once eluded to a childhood injury that didn't heal right and left Shaq with limited mobility or a cocked wrist.

 

[austin316]

Originally posted by: jjsole
Phil Jackson once eluded to a childhood injury that didn't heal right and left Shaq with limited mobility or a cocked wrist.

Bingo! You nailed it! During his childhood, when he was stationed over seas with his father (in Germany I believe, because his dad was in the military) he was jumping over a wall or something and broke or fused bones in his writst. He can't bend it at the correct angle to shoot. I remember reading this in S.I. about 5-6 years ago in a Rick Reilly column.