www.lowposts.com

A free throw is unlike any other shot in basketball.  In the simplest sense, it’s just the player and the basket — a rare uncontested shot with no defenders in sight.  While most NBA players follow the same routine during those precious seconds at the stripe, such as dribbling a couple of times and taking a deep breath, some have created their own unique rituals.  Whether it’s about following a superstition or creating a signature style, here are some of the most interesting free throw routines in recent NBA history.

Karl Malone: The Mailman was notorious for taking his sweet ole time at the foul line.  After twirling the ball in his hands and taking a few dribbles, he’d talk to himself for several seconds before releasing the ball. While he never revealed what he was saying, it’s widely assumed that he was uttering some type of silent prayer for his family. It’s either that, or begging for a championship. Oh, who are we kidding — it’s obviously about little Mexican girls.

Jason Kidd: Kidd used to blow a kiss toward the basket before every foul shot, which was meant to show his wife and family know he’s thinking about them. But after he and his wife Jumana divorced, Kidd switched up that routine just a tad. See if you can spot the difference. I think it would’ve been cooler if he carried french fries in his shorts pocket and spit them out before shooting, but his is good, too.

Jeff Hornacek: Horny (something tells me he’s not a fan of that nickname) is one of the best foul shooters in NBA history, connecting at an 88% clip for his career. His routine consisted of taking a few dribbles and then rubbing his cheek with his right hand. It sounds a little dirty, but it was just his way of saying “hi” to his many, many Mormon children.  Oh, and Doug Christie used put his hand up in the air throughout the game for his wife, but that was just to avoid getting a beat-down.

Nick Van Exel: Instead of shooting the ball from the usual 15-feet, Van Exel would stand a couple of feel behind the foul line because he kept hitting the back rim with his shot (Tracy McGrady has also tried doing it). You can’t argue with the results, since Van Exel shot almost 80% from the stripe for his career.  But without a doubt, the two best free throws of his career came from the Spurs’ bench during his final NBA season.

Dirk Nowitzki: Dirk takes the crown for the most peculiar free throw ritual in the league. Nowitzki apparently hums David Hasselhoff’s “Looking For Freedom,” which was a big hit when he was growing up in Germany, when he’s at the charity stripe. I’ve always been partial to the “Baywatch” theme song myself, but I guess Dirk must be hooked on a feeling. All right, I won’t go any further with this.

Alonzo Mourning: Much like Malone, Zo would use up the full ten seconds when he was at the line (if not more), irritating opposing coaches who wanted him called for a violation. He’d take a few dribbles and fiddle with the ball, kiss his wristband, and then use it to wipe the sweat off his forehead before finally taking a shot.  I figure he would’ve been better off intimidating the ball to go in the basket with an assortment of angry scowls and bicep flexes, but what do I know?

Jerry Stackhouse: Stack bends his knees and gets lower than Busta Rhymes, practically sitting down into a baseball catcher’s squat at foul line.  My knees are hurting from just looking at this picture…let’s move on.

Mark Jackson: Jackson would put his right index finger to his mouth and then point his right hand toward the basket, almost like a follow through before the actual shot. He also stood off-center at the line and said he used the hand to help him aim. Considering that he was only a 77% career foul shooter — below average for a guard — I wouldn’t recommend going hunting with the guy…just a word of advice.

Anthony Mason: I’ll do my best to describe what went on when Mase stepped up to the line. He’d raise the ball from his waist to his head and awkwardly twist his knees and torso, before cradling the ball in his left palm and taking few seconds to release it.  And there’s some kind of weird hitch involved. With all of the effort Mason used to put into his routine, you’d think he’d be better than a 71% foul shooter…although we’re still waiting on Elias to determine if he’s the career leader in lane-violations drawn.

Quick Hits:

*Steve Smith and Steve Francis each touched their tattoos as tributes to their late mothers.
*Richard Hamilton dribbles the ball down and to his side several times before shooting.
*Gilbert Arenas spins the ball behind his back, but he loses points for purposely creating that routine for kids to imitate.
*Andrew Bogut high-fives himself — I only wish he’d do this more often.