Amanda Knapp
Free throws, or foul shots, are an important part of basketball, providing an opportunity for teams to score extra points. When a player is fouled, they are awarded a free throw, which is an unguarded scoring attempt from behind the free-throw line. The number of free throws awarded can vary from one to three, depending on the situation and the nature of the foul. Each successful free throw is worth one point, and players typically make 70-80% of their attempts. Free throws can be a crucial factor in the outcome of a game, and players with a high free-throw percentage are highly valued.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Points per free throw | 1 point |
| Free throws awarded after | Foul by an opponent |
| Free throw line distance | 15 feet |
| Free throw line width | 16 feet (NBA, WNBA, FIBA); 12 feet (NCAA, NAIA) |
| Free throw circle width | 12 feet |
| Free throw circle distance from baseline | 19 feet |
| Number of free throws | Between 1 and 3 |
| Free throw percentage (NBA players) | 70-80% |
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What You'll Learn
A free throw is worth one point
A free throw in basketball is worth one point. It is an unopposed attempt to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line, a line situated at the end of the restricted area. The free-throw line is also known as the foul line or the charity stripe.
Free throws are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by an opposing player, analogous to penalty shots in other team sports. They are also awarded in other situations, including technical fouls, and when the fouling team has entered the bonus/penalty situation. In this situation, after a team commits a requisite number of fouls, each subsequent foul results in free throws regardless of the type of foul committed.
The number of free throws awarded depends on the situation. A player may be awarded between one and three free throws. For example, if a referee deems a foul extremely aggressive, or that it did not show an attempt to play the ball, the referee can call an "unsportsmanlike foul" in international and NCAA women's play or a flagrant foul in the NBA and NCAA men's basketball. In this case, the opponent gets two free throws and possession of the ball afterward.
Free throws are an important part of basketball strategy. Many players perform a ritual before shooting free throws, which can range from bouncing the ball off the floor or touching their shoes to more unusual rituals. Some players orient their playstyle around getting to the line, such as James Harden and Luka Dončić.
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Free throws are awarded after a foul
Free throws, or foul shots, are attempts to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line, with both feet completely behind the line. They are generally awarded when a player is fouled by an opponent while shooting, and the shot is missed. The number of free throws awarded depends on the location of the player when they were fouled. If the player was fouled while shooting for a three-point goal and misses their shot, they are awarded three free throws. If the player was fouled in a two-point shooting attempt and misses, they are awarded two free throws. However, if the player makes the shot despite being fouled, the number of free throws is reduced to one, and the basket counts, resulting in a three- or four-point play.
In the NBA, when there are only two minutes left on the clock in either half, off-ball fouls that put the fouling team over the limit are rewarded with one free throw and possession of the ball. This strategy is known as the "Hack-a-Shaq". In addition, the NBA has rules in place to prevent time-wasting between free throws, such as not allowing the shooter to walk back beyond the three-point line between attempts.
The WNBA, FIBA, and NCAA women's basketball have different rules regarding fouls and free throws. In the WNBA, the rules for resetting the team foul count in the final two minutes of any period, including overtime, follow the NBA's rules. In FIBA and NCAA women's basketball, starting with the opponent's fifth foul in a period, the fouled player shoots two free throws.
Technical fouls, which can be called for unsportsmanlike conduct or technical violations, also result in free throws. In the NBA and FIBA, a technical foul results in one free-throw attempt for the non-offending team. In NCAA basketball, technical fouls are divided into Class A and Class B, with Class A resulting in two free throws and Class B resulting in one.
If a referee deems a foul to be extremely aggressive or not showing an attempt to play the ball, they can call an "unsportsmanlike foul" in international and NCAA women's play or a flagrant foul in the NBA and NCAA men's basketball. This type of foul carries more severe penalties, including two free throws and possession of the ball for the non-offending team.
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Teams can substitute players with high free-throw percentages
A free throw in basketball is worth one point. It is an unopposed attempt to score by shooting from behind the free-throw line, a line situated at the end of the restricted area. Free throws are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team, or in the case of technical fouls, and when the fouling team has entered the bonus/penalty situation. The number of free throws awarded can vary between one and three, depending on the situation.
The rules of basketball have been adjusted over the years since the game's invention in 1891 by James Naismith. Initially, there was no concept of free throws, and every basket was worth one point. The rules were then adjusted so that all baskets were worth two points and fouls were worth one point. The first edition of the free throw was introduced as a 20-foot shot worth the same as a field goal. In 1896, the free throw was moved to 15 feet and was worth one point to a normal field goal's two points.
Today, many players perform a ritual before shooting free throws, which can range from bouncing the ball off the floor or touching their shoes to more unusual rituals. Some players are notoriously bad free-throw shooters, such as Wilt Chamberlain, Ben Wallace, and Shaquille O'Neal. This allows opposing teams to adopt a strategy of intentionally fouling these players, hoping that they will miss one or both shots and the defending team will regain possession. This strategy was dubbed "Hack-a-Shaq" when famously used on Shaquille O'Neal.
In the NBA, most players make 70-80% of their free-throw attempts. The league's best shooters have included Mark Price, Steve Nash, Steve Kerr, and Stephen Curry.
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Players have rituals before shooting free throws
Free throws, or foul shots, are attempts to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line, with each successful throw being worth one point. The rules of basketball have evolved since the game's invention in 1891 by James Naismith, when every basket was worth one point for the scoring team. By the 1890s, the rules were adjusted so that baskets were worth two points and fouls were worth one point.
The act of taking a free throw is a mechanized routine, and players often develop rituals to help them get into the right headspace to shoot. These rituals can range from the subtle to the downright bizarre. Some players like to take their time, while others prefer to shoot quickly. Some players perform rituals that are personal to them, such as Jason Kidd, who blew a kiss as a tribute to his family, and Jeff Hornacek, who touches his face once for each of his children. Other players have more unusual rituals, such as Gilbert Arenas, who wraps the ball around his waist three times. Some players perform rituals that are a little more awkward, like Don Nelson's one-handed push, or even strange, like Nick Van Exel, who takes a few steps back from the line before shooting.
Some players have been known to shoot with a granny-style technique, such as NBA star Rick Barry, who popularized the underhand style of shooting from the stripe. Other players, like Beau Belga, take their time before shooting, practically baiting their opponents into a lane violation. Belga also falls forward just before releasing the ball. Some players, like Russell Westbrook, always take a moment before each free throw, while others, like Samboy Lim, mess up their hair before shooting.
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There are four types of fouls that generate free throws
In basketball, free throws are worth one point. They are unopposed attempts to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line. Free throws are awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team, or in other situations, including technical fouls, and when the fouling team has entered the bonus/penalty situation.
Free throws are an important part of basketball strategy. They can be used to increase a leading team's lead and stop the clock, or they can give the trailing team a chance to take possession if the second free throw is missed. Teams may substitute players with high free-throw percentages when they are leading late in games to combat this strategy.
The rules around free throws have changed over time. When James Naismith invented basketball in 1891, there was no concept of free throws. The first edition of the free throw was introduced in the form of a 20-foot shot worth the same as a field goal. In 1896, the free throw was moved to 15 feet and was worth one point to a normal field goal's two points. Since then, the free throw has become a defining feature of basketball, with the potential to make or break careers and change the outcomes of games.
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Frequently asked questions
A free throw is worth one point.
A free throw, or foul shot, is an unguarded scoring attempt that a referee awards a basketball player after an opposing team member commits a foul.
Depending on the situation, a player may be awarded between one and three free throws.
