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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 23: Former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal attends the unveiling of the Shaq Courts at the Doolittle Complex donated by Icy Hot and the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation in partnership with the city of Las Vegas on October 23, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Icy Hot)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 23: Former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal attends the unveiling of the Shaq Courts at the Doolittle Complex donated by Icy Hot and the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation in partnership with the city of Las Vegas on October 23, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Icy Hot)
Shaquille O’Neal dominated the court. If he were to catch the ball in the low-post area, his defender would be in for a nightmare, as the big man would go straight to the basket for a monstrous dunk. This was how Shaq successfully dominated his opposition.
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However, there was one area that defenders realized Shaq was weak at. This was his free-throw shooting. The opposition teams created a tactic to make the big man foul. Only to send him to the free-throw line. Known as, ‘Hack-A-Shaq.’
The free-throw line allowed a player to earn free points. It is because the opposition is unguarded. But the free throw line was a daunting place for Shaq since he missed shots from there frequently. This is exactly what teams took advantage of.
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PHOENIX – DECEMBER 21: Shaquille O’Neal #33 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots a free throw shot during the NBA game against of the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center on December 21, 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Cavaliers defeated the Suns 109-91. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
O’Neal’s shooting struggles were not something that came as a result of the pressure in the NBA. They were present even during his college career as an LSU Tiger. So when his LSU coach tried to get him to shoot underhand, the ‘Big Aristotle’ chose not to listen due to his father’s opinion.
Shaquille O’Neal Father’s Opinion on the Underhanded Free Throw
When someone says underhanded free throw, the player who immediately comes to mind is NBA legend, Rick Barry. The shooting style was so successful for Barry that he shot nearly 90% from the charity stripe. So when the LSU coach tried to get Shaq to shoot underhand, Shaq stuck to his original shooting technique in accordance with his father – a man whom he looked up to.
“I really didn’t want to shoot them that way. When I was a kid, someone suggested that approach before and Sarge told me ‘Forget it. That’s a shot for sissies,'” explained Shaq on the reason he didn’t shoot underhand.
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Lakers Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal sit on the bench with foul trouble against the Timberwolves in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Staples Center Monday. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
And so, even in the NBA, Shaq stuck to his original shooting action. This only allowed him to shoot 52.7% from the free-throw line during the regular season. And slightly lower at 50.4% in the playoffs. It was this fact that former Mavericks’ coach Don Nelson developed the ‘Hack-A-Shaq’ strategy.
Had Shaq made all of his free throws, he’d have scored 5,317 more points in the regular season. And 1,149 points in the playoffs, throughout his career. Additionally, in his last playoff journey with the Lakers, Shaq would attempt 254 free throws but make only 109 of them. Maybe switching to the underhand action could’ve benefitted him and even may have allowed the Lakers to score some extra points.
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