NBA Free Throw Mechanics Question

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

So the NBA mechanic on free throws is a holdover from how 3-person mechanics used to be? Perhaps NBA just borrowed free throw mechanics from the old high school and college 3-person mechanics, since they didn't have their own 3-person mechanics until the 1988-89 season, aside from a 1-season experiment in 1978-79.

I do not remember exactly what the NBA was doing at that time. I know when I stared in 96, we were doing the mechanic with the C administering the first of multiple FTs. I do also remember that this must did not change until later in the early 2000s as I remember a friend of mine working the McDonald's All-American Game and he would talk about this mechanic as he would get in the camera view when a player was about to take a free throw attempt. I am pretty sure the mechanics were the same for both levels of college as well. What year that change took place, I cannot tell you off the bat of my head. But probably somewhere between 2000 and 2004.

As Raymond said, we did not think about it that much. When the change was made we changed. I thought it was a good change at the time but it took some getting used to for the first few games, after that it was like riding a bike.

Peace