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World B. Free, born Lloyd Bernard Free, is a former professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1975 to 1988. Free played for several teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and Cleveland Cavaliers. He was known for his incredible athleticism, flamboyant playing style, and memorable performances, earning him the nicknames Prince of Mid-Air, Brownsville Bomber, and All-World. Free's unique personality and talent made him a legend in the basketball world, and he is credited with saving professional basketball in Cleveland.
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What You'll Learn
World B. Free's career
World B. Free, born Lloyd Bernard Free, is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1975 to 1988. Free was known by several nicknames, including the "Prince of Mid-Air", the "Brownsville Bomber", and most often as "All-World".
Free was born on December 9, 1953, in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in the Brownsville neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York. He attended Canarsie High School, where he led the basketball team as a freshman and helped them win the NAIA National Championship. He was subsequently named the MVP of the NAIA Tournament. Free then went on to attend Guilford College in North Carolina.
Free's NBA career began in the 1975–76 season when he joined the Philadelphia 76ers, who had selected him with the 23rd pick of the 1975 NBA draft. In his second season, Free helped lead the 76ers to victory in the decisive game seven of the 1977 Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Boston Celtics, contributing a game-high 27 points. The 76ers went on to defeat the Rockets in the Eastern Conference Finals but ultimately lost to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1977 NBA Finals.
Following the 1977–78 season, Free was traded to the San Diego Clippers, with whom he had his best statistical season in 1979–80, averaging 30.2 points per game, along with 4.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. During the 1981-82 NBA season, Free was traded to the Golden State Warriors, where he led the team in assists per game while also scoring 22.9 points per game.
In December 1983, during the 1982-83 season, Free was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. During the 1984–85 season, he became the 39th player in league history to surpass 15,000 career points. Free was allowed to leave the Cavaliers in 1986 and subsequently played for the Miami Tropics of the United States Basketball League (USBL), leading them to the title and being named the USBL Playoffs MVP. He then joined the Houston Rockets for the 1987–88 season, which was his last in the NBA.
Free is currently the director of player development and a community ambassador for the Philadelphia 76ers. He has also been honoured by the Cavaliers, receiving a spot on their Wall of Honor in 2022.
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Free's jump shot
Free throws are an important part of basketball, and can be a deciding factor in the outcome of the game. They are an individual skill, but they are very important for team success.
World B. Free, the "Prince of Mid-Air", was known for his jump shot. His shot was possibly his greatest strength: a soft, high-arcing lob that stayed in the air longer than the average jump shot and was so straight when he was "on" that it barely jostled the net.
To improve your free-throw shooting percentage, it is recommended to establish a routine and repeat it. This is beneficial for mental recollection and confidence at the line and is also imperative for muscle memory. John Gillon, a current NBA G League BayHawks player, has a pre-shot routine that involves bouncing the ball three times, looking down at the floor, and then raising his eyes to find the rim.
When shooting a free throw, it is important to keep your feet flat and your toes on the floor. Bend your knees and push off your heels to release the ball in a fluid motion, keeping your shoulders and hands relaxed. While most players don't jump while making a free throw, it is okay to do so, as long as you don't cross the free-throw line before the ball hits the basket, which is a foul.
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Free's 360-degree dunks
World B. Free, born Lloyd Bernard Free, is an American former professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1975 to 1988. Free was known for his flamboyant style, incredible jumping ability, and powerful dunks. One of his most famous moves was the 360-degree dunk, which involved spinning the body in a full 360-degree turn while dunking the ball in the basket.
The 360-degree dunk is a challenging and crowd-pleasing move that requires a combination of strength, agility, and technique. It is considered a rotational dunk, where the player's body position at take-off and landing determines the completion of the rotation. While some may argue that a full 360-degree turn is not always achieved, it remains an impressive and powerful move.
To perform a 360-degree dunk, players must have exceptional jumping ability and lower body strength. Building strength in the calves, quads, and glutes through exercises like squats, lunges, and leg presses is essential. High jumping and vertical movement drills also play a crucial role in mastering this dunk.
The 360-degree dunk has evolved over the years, with players adding their own twists and variations. While the basic move is impressive on its own, some players have combined it with other elements to create even more spectacular dunks. For example, Isaiah Rivera, a professional dunker, wowed fans with a 360-degree, behind-the-back, through-the-legs jam, pushing the boundaries of what fans thought was possible.
In conclusion, the 360-degree dunk is a challenging and show-stopping move in basketball that requires a combination of strength, technique, and agility. It has been made famous by players like World B. Free and continues to evolve with new variations being introduced by skilled dunkers.
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Free's career-highs
World B. Free, born Lloyd Bernard Free, played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1975 to 1988. During his 13-year career, Free played for the San Diego Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Houston Rockets.
Free was known for his flamboyant playing style, which included "rainbow" jump shots, high-risk shots, and 360-degree dunks. He averaged 20.3 points per game over his career and was named to the 1978-79 All-NBA team.
Free set several career-highs during his time in the NBA. On an unspecified date, Free recorded 7 steals in a home loss to the LA Lakers, also putting up 46 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. On February 16, 1979, Free recorded 3 blocks in a road win against Denver, contributing 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. On March 29, 1986, Free achieved a career-high efficiency rating of 55 in a road win against Atlanta, scoring over 100 points.
During the 1984–85 season, Free became the 39th player in league history to surpass 15,000 career points. That year, he averaged career playoff-highs of 26.3 points and 7.8 assists per game during a 3-1 first-round loss to the Celtics. In that series, Free led the Cavaliers to victory in Game 3 with a postseason career-high 32 points.
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Free's accolades
World B. Free, born Lloyd Bernard Free, is a former professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1975 to 1988. Free played for several teams in the league, including the San Diego Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Houston Rockets.
Free's career in the NBA began in the 1975-76 season when he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers as the 23rd pick in the draft. During his time in the league, Free became known for his incredible athleticism, flamboyant playing style, and memorable performances, earning him the nicknames "Prince of Mid-Air", "Brownsville Bomber", and most often, "All-World".
One of Free's most notable achievements was during the 1984-85 season when he became the 39th player in league history to surpass 15,000 career points. That same year, he averaged career playoff highs of 26.3 points and 7.8 assists per game during a 3-1 first-round loss to the Celtics. Free also led the Cavaliers to a 105-98 Game 3 win in that series, scoring a postseason career-high 32 points.
Free set multiple career-high records in various categories during his time in the NBA. On December 16, 1979, he tied his career-high in points, scoring 49 points against the Detroit Pistons. He also recorded 6 rebounds and 5 assists in that game. On March 2, 1979, he tied his career-high in rebounds, grabbing 11 rebounds against the Boston Celtics. On March 6, 1985, he tied his career-high in assists, dishing out 13 assists against the LA Clippers. Free was also a talented defender, setting his career-high in steals with 7 against the LA Lakers and in blocks with 3 against the Denver Nuggets.
In addition to his NBA achievements, Free was named the USBL Playoffs MVP after leading the Miami Tropics to the title in the United States Basketball League (USBL). He also guided Guilford College's basketball team to an NAIA National Championship as a freshman and was named MVP of the NAIA Tournament.
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Frequently asked questions
World B. Free, born Lloyd Bernard Free, is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1975 to 1988.
Free played for the San Diego Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association. He was known for his flamboyant playing style, incredible athleticism, and memorable performances. He was named the USBL Playoffs MVP after leading the Miami Tropics to the title. He also guided Guilford's basketball team to an NAIA National Championship and was named MVP of the NAIA Tournament as a freshman.
Free is currently the director of player development and a community ambassador for the Philadelphia 76ers. He greets fans at 76ers home games and has also led the Sixers' "Summer Hoops Tour".
