Shooting free throws isn’t generally a big man’s game. You have your cases where bigs have good touch, but they aren’t usually associated with great free throw shooting. Hassan Whiteside isn’t great at the foul line but not awful either, and lately he’s been red hot. Whiteside, whose career free throw percentage is 55 percent, has made 23 of his last 25 free throws over the last five games.
Here’s what Whiteside said after going 7-for-8 from the free throw line on Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald:
“I feel comfortable at the line,” Whiteside said. “You know when it’s a rainy day, and you get hot chocolate, and you put on a nice woobie [baby blanket] on you and tuck yourself in? That’s how comfortable I feel at the free throw line.”
Quite the vivid imagery from Whiteside when it comes to how he feels about shooting free throws right now. There is definitely a psychology to being on an island at the free throw line, and aside from mechanics and repetition, developing that comfortability is the most important factor of shooting free throws.
Whiteside is the only player I’ve seen today that does not have a dribble routine at the free throw line. His routine is to get the ball from the referee and go right into his shot. Right now he’s in a great rhythm at the line as a 60 percent free throw shooter this season. The rhythm is so great he’s feeling cozy there.
