Mr Blackwell
Years ago
For Free Throws, 50 Years of Practice Is No Help
Interesting article from The New York Times about how free throw percentages have not improved over 50 years:
http://linky.com.au/8qvq8
Basketball in the United States has changed in myriad ways over the decades, from flat-footed set shots to dunks, from crotch-hugging uniforms to baggy knee-length shorts, from the dominance of American players to the recent infusion of international stars.
But one thing has remained remarkably constant: the rate at which players make free throws.
Since the mid-1960s, college men's players have made about 69 percent of free throws, the unguarded 15-foot, 1-point shot awarded after a foul. In 1965, the rate was 69 percent. This season, as teams scramble for bids to the N.C.A.A. tournament, it was 68.8. It has dropped as low as 67.1 but never topped 70.
