Purvis' FT's

[jibsey]

His arc looks a bit flat on FT's and I don't think it is changed easily in mid season. One thing about Rodney, when the chips are down he will probably make his FT's. I would NOT start taking him out in end of game situations. Don't mess with his confidence. I bet KO takes him aside and says "look what they did". I know what the numbers have been but he will be better.

 

[TasteofUConn]

Guy was a 50% FT shooter in HS.
Guy was a 50% FT shooter at NCState.
Guy was a 50% FT shooter last season.
Guy is a 50% FT shooter this season.

I'm not sure what's more astounding - the fact that some BYers think that he may get that up to 70% in the 1 year and 90 days he has left, or that some BYers are posting advice on how he has to "get a routine" and "look over his hands" or some other arbitrary suggestion that implies that KO and friends haven't tried every imaginable trick known to humans.

 

[CAHUSKY]

He scored 9 of 11 points in our run at the end of the game. I forgive him for missing 3 free throws.

 

[huskyharry]

Taking a brief amount of time to allow one's heart rate to slow a bit is useful. Taking a deep breath is useful. But he may be thinking too much which allows doubt to set in. He could try the technique that Coach Miller used successfully with the 2014 team where the player gets his feet set in the proper position and then shoots rapidly with good form.if he catches his breath and then shoots with a deliberately quick motion after setting his feet properly then he won't have time to over think things.
IIRC Old coach posted a primer on free throw shooting that advised simplifying the motion as much as possible. Combining these two concepts could be helpful for Rodney, particularly if he shoots at a comfortable distance where he is able to use the full stroke of his shooting motion.
Now I'm 5'8" and certainly much weaker than Rodney, and I need a slight bend in my knees to get the right range for free throws. He may actually benefit from standing six inches behind the line and not bend his knees at all.it certainly will also take a lot of practice.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I think they should bring in Ray Allen to help him out.

Ray was a very good shooter of the ball.

 

[Kembacity]

Purvis can vastly improve his free throw shooting by doing two things.

1. Include an imaginary free throw before you shoot the real ones into your routine. Ray allen used to do this. With a player like purvis who has alot of muscle mass esp on his shoulders, he really should just loosen them up a bit by shooting an imaginary one right before he gets to the line.

2. He needs to SLOW DONE his free throw routine. Most of the time it seems like he is rushing. Instead of one dribble take 3 dribbles. And don't do that stupid rotating the ball thing he does. He should just copy Sterling Gibbs routine. Sterling has a very slow routine. The benefits of a slow routine are that it calms your nerves, and make it alot easier to duplicate the same routine over and over again.

Yeah, I think I'll hold my breath on the guy who cant spell "slow down" having the 2 easy crucial keys to unlocking a basketball player's free throw shooting prowess... as though he and the team have tried nothing to help out his shooting

 

[UconnFanNVa]

I think they should bring in Ray Allen to help him out.

Ray was a very good shooter of the ball.

This made me laugh hysterically. Had to leave my desk at work and go for a little walk to get the laughs out. Thanks!

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Speaking of changing your form and routine shooting free throws, remember what Josh Boone did? I think it was his sophomore year when he would extend his hand out, palm up with the ball, then turn it over, etc. His shooting FTs improved significantly. And you know what he did the next year? He stopped doing it and his FTs became crappy again. What a head scratcher! His poor FT shooting certainly hurt his NBA career and probably still does if he is playing somewhere now.

So, routine changes can make a big difference, but the player needs to be willing to be teased or take whatever comes. Why none of these crappy foul shooters try the Rick Barry underhanded method is just beyond me. If it could make the difference between playing or not playing, why not? Andre? Rodney has been playing pretty well, but he is often overly emotional and reactive (see him about to start a fight in the Texas game?) which also does not help in crunch-time.

 

[Bryan Lord]

Ray would suffice if no one from here is available to come in.

 

[Leebo]

Rodney has been playing pretty well, but he is often overly emotional and reactive (see him about to start a fight in the Texas game?)

Wasn't that mostly Taylor? He seemed like he was yapping all night.

 

[Kembacity]

Wasn't that mostly Taylor? He seemed like he was yapping all night.

Purvis definitely has some of that chip during games, but to be honest I kind of like it. This team doesn't show that much emotion or trash talk, you've got Brimah as the emotional force of the team but its more internal fire. Hamilton/Facey/Gibbs/Miller are all the emotionless mercenaries like Jerome Dyson was, so I think you've got to have some edge somewhere on the team.

As long as he keeps himself from getting T's, I will support Purvis making his annoying faces at opposing teams. When that dude drills 2 3-pointers in a row and makes that annoying trolly smile, it's got to really get under a team's skin

 

[tentoes4rings]

Speaking of changing your form and routine shooting free throws, remember what Josh Boone did? I think it was his sophomore year when he would extend his hand out, palm up with the ball, then turn it over, etc. His shooting FTs improved significantly. And you know what he did the next year? He stopped doing it and his FTs became crappy again. What a head scratcher! His poor FT shooting certainly hurt his NBA career and probably still does if he is playing somewhere now.

So, routine changes can make a big difference, but the player needs to be willing to be teased or take whatever comes. Why none of these crappy foul shooters try the Rick Barry underhanded method is just beyond me. If it could make the difference between playing or not playing, why not? Andre? Rodney has been playing pretty well, but he is often overly emotional and reactive (see him about to start a fight in the Texas game?) which also does not help in crunch-time.

While I agree more players, particularly big men should consider the Barry approach, with Rodney we're talking about a guy with a good stroke who shoots 45% from 3 and 52% overall from the field. I think guys like Boone struggled so mightily at the line because shooting a 15 footer was not in their skillset whatsoever. Rodney doesn't need a change that drastic, he just needs to replicate the good form he uses on his perimeter shots. Eliminating that damn flip would be a good start.

 

[TasteofUConn]

Why none of these crappy foul shooters try the Rick Barry underhanded method is just beyond me.

Because the ridicule that comes with being a poor free throw shooter is much less than the ridicule that would come from shooting free throws like a constipated pregnant woman.

 

[Stinger92860]

i feel like Purvis always clanks them on the back of the rim -- but he has a good stroke.

IMHO...what if he backed up a little from the free-throw line? maybe a little more distance b/w him and the rim is the perfect range for him?

I believe he tried that last year and staff moved him back to the line.

 

[pnow15]

If he has to come out due to poor FT shooting, it's because we are leading and getting fouled. Which is, typically, a good thing for one's hopes. He's not so bad at the line that teams will foul him in a tie game, or when they lead us and don't want to stop the clock (unless they are up 3 in final seconds).

Put Gibbs-Adams-Hamilton out there, using Adams as a relief valve to keep the pressure off your freshman, and we are fine protecting a lead.

He will get hammered on all drives to the basket and maybe hurt. In the 4th, he will get fouled on his way to the basket every time.
If I were coaching against Purvis, I would have a man in his shirt and force him to put the ball on the floor for the entire game. No open threes. And foul when he gets near the rim.
Purvis is the player most likely to get hot and run off a streak. Don't let him get hot.

 

[RM99]

I think Ollie and Purvis should read the Boneyard and try everything posted here! Next game 100% from the line. National title guaranteed!

 

[mauconnfan]

I think Ollie and Purvis should read the Boneyard and try everything posted here! Next game 100% from the line. National title guaranteed!

They'd be nuts not to I mean nothing but experts on here, I know I am

 

[Chin Diesel]

I think Ollie and Purvis should read the Boneyard and try everything posted here! Next game 100% from the line. National title guaranteed!

They'd be nuts not to I mean nothing but experts on here, I know I am

Considering that this board has had game plans on what UConn needs to do each year to win a championship and that the coach's have only won four of them, there's some merit to both of your points.

 

[huskiesnyc]

I think Ollie and Purvis should read the Boneyard and try everything posted here! Next game 100% from the line. National title guaranteed!

Don't be greedy I'll take the 70% that Chief can coach him up to

 

[Leebo]

They'd be nuts not to I mean nothing but experts on here, I know I am

Way too much punctuation in that sentence, mau. You're slipping up.

 

[InKembaITrust]

Purvis can vastly improve his free throw shooting by doing two things.

1. Include an imaginary free throw before you shoot the real ones into your routine. Ray allen used to do this. With a player like purvis who has alot of muscle mass esp on his shoulders, he really should just loosen them up a bit by shooting an imaginary one right before he gets to the line.

2. He needs to SLOW DONE his free throw routine. Most of the time it seems like he is rushing. Instead of one dribble take 3 dribbles. And don't do that stupid rotating the ball thing he does. He should just copy Sterling Gibbs routine. Sterling has a very slow routine. The benefits of a slow routine are that it calms your nerves, and make it alot easier to duplicate the same routine over and over again.

Couldn't agree more with this.

Rodney is built like an NFL running back. He doesn't have a soft, silky, high arching free throw stroke. I believe his muscle mass does leave him tensing up a bit and clanking them off the back of the rim with just a tad too much strength and not enough finesse. It's kind of funny to me that both Gibbs and Omar have similar line drive shooting strokes but are way more productive.

I also agree with slowing down his routine. Take a couple deep breaths, use a slow double or triple dribble, and loosen up the shoulders (take the ball and bring it back behind the head as far as it can go before the dribbles.)

I believe in Rodney, he's now a seasoned veteran who's confidence is growing in late game shot making...why could this not also transition into his free throws? He's a hard worker who's well aware his NBA draft stock is on the line. He will become a better free throw shooter and towards the end of the year I'm betting he lands around 65%.

 

[cowboysnation]

Yeah, I think I'll hold my breath on the guy who cant spell "slow down" having the 2 easy crucial keys to unlocking a basketball player's free throw shooting prowess... as though he and the team have tried nothing to help out his shooting

So I'm guessing you have never misspelled a word or made a typo in your life???? It is too bad not everyone can be a genius like you. If you wanna be a grammar queen go teach a English class.

 

[Rico444]

Couldn't agree more with this.

Rodney is built like an NFL running back. He doesn't have a soft, silky, high arching free throw stroke. I believe his muscle mass does leave him tensing up a bit and clanking them off the back of the rim with just a tad too much strength and not enough finesse. It's kind of funny to me that both Gibbs and Omar have similar line drive shooting strokes but are way more productive.

I also agree with slowing down his routine. Take a couple deep breaths, use a slow double or triple dribble, and loosen up the shoulders (take the ball and bring it back behind the head as far as it can go before the dribbles.)

I believe in Rodney, he's now a seasoned veteran who's confidence is growing in late game shot making...why could this not also transition into his free throws? He's a hard worker who's well aware his NBA draft stock is on the line. He will become a better free throw shooter and towards the end of the year I'm betting he lands around 65%.

That's doable for sure. Running some quick math, Rodney has attempted 42 FTs and made 21 (50%). He's averaging 3.5 attempts per game, and with tournaments, we'll probably play about 25 more games this year. That makes about 88 more FT attempts. With that many attempts left, shooting around 71% the rest of the way will get him to your 65% number. Let's hope he fixes whatever is causing him to miss so frequently and gets there.

 

[TasteofUConn]

If you wanna be a grammar queen go teach a English class.

Words by which to live.

 

[TasteofUConn]

That's doable for sure. Running some quick math, Rodney . . .

. . . will shoot about 50% from the free throw line the rest of his career.