@mayjay One thing about basketball practices, pretty much all coaches do this, is that there is a block of time for just free throw shooting (maybe not every practice, of course). There are gyms with multiple rims, like KU has set up at AFH, guys break off to the their rims, usually with a partner. Many coaches do this at times right after some high exertion activity, so they are shooting a bit fatigued.
In any case, the dynamic at practices are that there are … bing, bing, bing … coaches that interact with players during this time.
Further, when you talk resources, if you have excellent free throw shooters, and guys with good form – but you have this anomaly, the sore thumb – who should coaches direct attention to?
Further, you have a big man starter, a guy that you’d like to draw fouls, a big guy that will get hacked, and you permit that atrocity of form to exist?
Some folks will try to defend anything. This is such an extreme example of complete coaching staff negligence it is unbelievable. But still, folks try hard to defend. It would be easier to just admit it was a staff oversight and move on. But no, there is this need to rationalize the irrational.
Bill Self was well on notice of this. Here’s a link to a story from November of 2016 (first one below) noting poor free throw shooting for the freshmen, which included Udoka. Heck, he shot below 40% last season. He was horrible. And he had multiple months to shoot proper free throws with his left wrist injured. Good grief. Self even said the that the poor free throw shooting “will cost us” – again, in 2016, speaking of Udoka and JJ. Further, in a March, 2016 article, he said this, “You don’t make free throws in the postseason, the chances of you advancing against a comparable team is not very good,” Self said.
So, our big guy, down low, subject to being fouled, a guy you’d like to draw fouls, a guy you need to play, shoots like that?
And magic, in one week all of a sudden his elbow is trying to get to the right spot, pace is being focused upon, and form is suddenly something that can be addressed with our “resources.”
When asked what they could do to improve in November of 2016, he said, "Obviously practice them more … that’s what we need to do.” Uh, no coach, not with Udoka. He needed a form overhaul. Practicing horrible form further ingrains horrible form. We are really debating this?
@dylans is exactly right. We’ve heard Self say that players do free throw shooting reps on their own. That is supported by Self’s statements in the article. Nowhere does he say they are coaching or working with them on form.
http://kuhoops.com/ku-basketball-news/120294748/
http://www.gctelegram.com/58881e29-2e85-5139-a3f6-b9a28f27f01d.html
