Return of the underhanded free throw

[Da Coach]

back in the 1950's and earlier, there were a lot of college and pro basketball players who shot free throws underhanded, but that all but disappeared. Wilt Chamberlain tried underhanded free throws for a while, but he wasn't highly successful at it either way. But NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry set records for free throw efficiency with his underhanded style, and remains the 3rd highest FT percentage in NBA history. Just last year, Barry wondered why more players don't try the underhand style, as FT shooting in the NBA has gotten worse over recent years-

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2014/08/28/rick-barry-is-perplexed-why-players-dont-shoot-free-throws-underhanded-audio/

But here is a story about a 6'10" center for Louisville, Chinanu Onuaku, who will be shooting FTs underhanded this season. Last year as a freshman, he shot only 47% from the FT line. But he experimented with shooting underhand in practice earlier this year, and found it worked better for him. In Louisville's only exhibition, he was 3-4 from the line.

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/108971/hecklers-beware-onuaku-underhand-ft-looks-funny-but-its-working

Will it catch on? I wouldn't count on it.

[ihatetea]

I was watching the Clippers play last night and said to my dad I thought DeAndre Jordan, who is a career 41.5% free throw shooter, should try shooting free throws with his other hand, since he shouldn't have as many bad habits with it. He couldn't be worse. My dad told me he and many others should shoot under handed. It seems one player in the world is taking his advice.

[Da Coach]

DeAndre Jordan is on track to be possibly the worst free throw shooter in NBA history.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/deandre-jordan-a-bricklayer-at-the-free-throw-line-1424879417

Since all the others at the bottom of that list have retired, Jordan does have the chance to improve and pull himself out of that "worst ever" spot, but there are numerous articles that document that he doesn't want any help, and refuses to change his style in any way.


Incidentally, there is one other college basketball player who shoots free throws underhanded. It is the youngest son (from his 3rd marriage) of Hall of Famer Rick Barry, who shot close to 90% in a long NBA career while shooting underhanded. His older 4 sons (Scooter, Jon, Brent, Drew) all were college standouts and went on to play professionally, but they all shot free throws normally.
Canyon Barry plays for College of Charleston, and in his first 2 years at Charleston, he shot 74% and 72%- average, but not spectacular.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/23473732/canyon-barry-carries-on-fathers-legacy-with-underhand-free-throw