Seeing that my weekly Tuesday column, “Off the Rim” is over for another year, I will now be doing my regular Basketball BLOG once a week on Tuesdays now until next mid November. Here is the first one.

What very important basketball skill that wins or losses many close basketball games could you possibly be able to prove you are better at then some NBA or college D-1 basketball players?

This skill is EXACTLY the same for any players in games for middle school, high school, college or NBA and WNBA.

The distances for this skill is the same at the middle school, high school, prep school, all college divisions and the NBA and WNBA. The basket is still 18 inches in diameter, the rim is 15 feet from the foul line (attached to the backboard) and 10 feet from the floor and of course it is the foul shot.

Nobody on defense to bother your shot and you have 10 seconds to shoot the ball after you receive it from the official.

This is the one basketball skill that you can compare yourself to the best players in the world.

Here is a chart so you can compare yourself to others at all the different levels.

Superior: 90% 9 of 10
above average: 80%-89.9% – 8-8.9 of 10
average: 70%-79% – 7-7.9 of 10
below ave. 60%-69% – 6-6.9 of 10
poor: below 59.0%%

Here’s some reasons you should be able to improve your foul shooting %:

1. Breakaway rims have much more give to them then the original rims that were bolted directly to the basket.
2. Players can practice the skill by themselves by being at the foul line and then bounce the ball to yourself imitating as the official bounces the ball to you or hands you the ball toss the ball to yourself.
3. Develop a foul shooting ritual by doing the same things over and over again on each foul shot.
4. Don’t bounce the ball at the foul line because you take your eyes of the target which should be the middle of the rim
5. Follow through on the shot by getting onto your toes and stay on your toes until you know if the ball goes in or not
6. Never shoot more than 2 foul shots in a row and make it a one and one. Make the first one get the second. Miss the first of a one and one run a distance away from the basket at least 50 feet and back again. Miss it on the second shot run 25 feet and back. Make them both then do another one and one.
7. Remember the only physical skill in shooting a foul shot is releasing the ball when your legs are straight from bending your knees with your knees going down so that if you were not putting your knees to point to the two blocks you couldn’t see your knees.

When ball hits the rim and goes in I call it GARBAGGGGE.
When ball hits the rim and bounces away I call it a BRICK.

Based on a minimum, of 2000 minimum foul shot attempts are some NBA stats to compare yourself to. 3 players have a career average of 90% of better. 2 are retired and one is active.

Steve Nash is first all time over 90% at 90.43%, Mark Price is second at 90.39 both are retired, and third is the only active player, Stephan Curry at 90.35%.

Now you have something to shoot for so you can compare yourself in foul shooting with the best in the world.

Foul shooting is the only basketball skill you can actually compare yourself with other players that play at a level different then the level you currently play because the foul shot is exactly the same for anyone who plays the game world over. 10 seconds to shoot, 15 feet from the backboard and nobody is guarding you on the shot.

You can compare your foul shooting % to both the 2 D-1 UMaine college basketball teams. Men shooting 64.8% and the women 73.2%.

Only difference between the Maine men’s and women’s foul shooting besides the percentages is the diameter of the ball. The men’s basketball is 9 inches in diameter and the women’s basketball is 8 1/2 inches in diameter. The same difference is for the middle school,  high school and WNBA basketballs.