Top 10 Worst Free Throw Shooters of All-Time

Posted by Larita Shotwell on Sunday, March 3, 2024

Free throw shooting is one of the basic basketball skills whose importance can never be overvalued. Free throws can turn a game around and break the rhythm of another team. In this article, we'll take a look back to discover and learn how the top 10 worst free throw shooters of all time became what they are. We will look at and investigate this factor individually for a player shooting the free throw, as well as omitting its effect on football teams' performance and extending it up in sports culture.

Methodology

Certain parameters had to be met before being considered. Players must have a minimum number of free throw attempts, and the career average was also weighted into the final list. In the course of our research, we determined those players who have statistically struggled at trying conditions in NBA games over time through sound databases such as NBA stats, player draft profiles, and record progression. We also examined how free throw shooting can affect a team's and player-level success.

10 Worst Free Throw Shooters

1. Ben Wallace

Career Free Throw Percentage: 41.4 %

Ben Wallace had a lengthy career, earning an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004 despite his struggles at shooting from the line.

2. Wilt Chamberlain

Career Free Throw Percentage: 51.1% 

Wilt Chamberlain had a 51.1% free-throw percentage with the NBA. He had several records and top performances, but one of the things he will always be remembered for is his shortcomings at the free-throw line.

Chamberlain's 7-foot-1 height, which made for more of a heave than an actual throw at the free-throw line, and his clumsy shooting form are among the factors that may have contributed to him sinking just 511% of his attempts.

3. Shaquille O'Neal

Career Free Throw Percentage: 52.7%

A force in his prime on the court, Shaquille O'Neal struggled to shoot free throws throughout his career. A big talking point of his career was the 50% from the line.

4. DeAndre Jordan

Career Free Throw Percentage: 41.7%

His horrid free throws opened up hack. His numbers and FT misses will be one of the leading narratives from his career. Jordan's defensive mindset and physical stature may have affected him from the charity stripe.

5. Chris Dudley

Career Free Throw Percentage: 45.8%

Chris Dudley, an infamously poor free-throw shooter, is remembered fondly for his rebounding and defensive contributions. Dudley focused only on the defense role; he had his mind set on things different than missing down on free throws.

6. Johnny Green

Career Free Throw Percentage: 55.3%

 One of the best rebounders in NBA Bullets history, but he shot 66 percent from the line. As much value as he added to the game in other ways, it kept returning to this one fundamental shortcoming.

7. Bill Russell

Career Free Throw Percentage: 56.1%

Bill Russell, who was legendary for his success on the court and his defensive abilities, struggled at times from the free-throw line. One of the black marks on his sparkling career is this batting statistic.

8. Dwight Howard

Career Free Throw Percentage: 56.7%

Howard might have been focusing more on defensive help and pounding other guys in the paint, which took a significant toll on his free-throw shooting.

9. Josh Smith

Career Free Throw Percentage: 63.2 %

Perhaps the most versatile player at camp was Josh Smith, but he struggled to hit free throws. His career stats, however, underscore one thing he made a point to shore up.

10. Rudy Gobert

Career Free Throw Percentage: 63.9%

Gobert does such good work at preventing buckets near the rim with his defense, which he focused on influencing more than free throw shooting.

Analyzing the all-time 10 worst free throwers in history to gain new perspectives on why they struggle so much at the foul line. Poor free throw shooting leads to more than individual stats. It affects the way teams play and often brings about different game outcomes. It adds another context about the game's depth regarding why players underperform at one-dimensional aspects like free throw shooting. This exploration simply serves as a brief reminder of basketball's varied skills and challenges, which are ultimately essential threads in its rich tapestry.

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