So often overlooked in terms of fundamentals, so often the deciding factor in close games down the stretch, even good shooters struggle to make free throws, especially in pressure situations. As the name implies, free throws are expected to be free points. In other words, a player goes to the line, he knocks down both shots with little to no exertion, then continues on his merry way. Unfortunately, the process rarely works so simplistically, even in youth leagues. Whether a competitive or church league, no matter how seemingly insignificant the game might appear to much of the world, all close games matter to the players in it, making free throws an incredibly nerve racking ordeal across all skill levels. These suggestions to be implemented in practice, will help to boost your free throw percentage come game time.

Implement Free Throw Shooting Drills at the Beginning and End Over the course of a game, legs begin to wear down, meaning less loft and/or power behind a player’s shot. Shooting free throws when players are fresh and when players are tired will help them to be cognizant of the difference and make mental/physical adjustments accordingly.

Shoot Free Throws During Scrimmages A lot of teams won’t take the time to shoot free throws during inner-squad scrimmages, instead awarding the ball out of bounds in the event of a foul. Scrimmages are the closest practice comes to live games simulation, and though they may not count in any standings, will ultimately matter to competitive players. This will help provide a better frame of reference at the free throw line than simple free throw shooting drills.

Award Incentives for Made Free Throws Set up brackets and/or pit players against each other in free throw competitions. This will help to build pressure as players square off against one another, knowing they need to make a certain amount of free throws for the win. Dealing with this artificial pressure will require a similar skill set to hit big shots from the stripe with the game on the line.