Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has caught a lot of flak for his slow-paced free-throw routine. With Chandler Parsons making note of this time-consuming act, the former NBA player wished for the NBA to instill a 5-second rule for free throws.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is undoubtedly one of the most dominant players in the league. Since leading his team to the title in the 2021 NBA Finals, the “Greek Freak” has only built upon his ability to take the game into his own hands.
As one of the most feared players to go downhill, Giannis often draws and initiates a lot of contact while attacking the rim. While some of these result in opportunities, a fair few result in ordinary shooting fouls.
This is where the major criticism paired with Antetokounmpo’s game comes to light. The NBA currently has a 10-second rule, which is the time limit within which a player has to shoot a free throw. While this isn’t usually a concern, the Bucks superstar has repeatedly caught flak for going over this stipulated time limit.
Shams Charania raised some questions about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s free throw routine when speaking on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back”. When comparing it to JR Smith’s dribble-less free throw routine, Charania asked former NBA player Chandler Parsons about the significance of Antetokounmpo’s routine.
Parsons responded by saying:
“Free-throws are mental, so I feel like the longer you sit there and the game stops – it’s easier to catch a swing and knock down a shot in the flow of the offense. But now when you’re fouled and you’re at the free-throw line and there’s 20,000 people looking at you, you kind of feel that.
“And that’s my point to Giannis is, the longer you take, the more you’re thinking, and the more the crowd is booing. I’m the opposite. I’m going to catch it – I get it. Sometimes you’ re tired and you may take longer – 11, 12, 13 – yeah. The rule should be five seconds.”
Parsons added that such a long free-throw routine can be annoying for opposing players. Considering that Giannis has been called out and reported for his time-consuming free-throw routine, he added:
“It stops the flow of the game. It’s ridiculous. I’d think we’re talking about a 5 and under YMCA league rule. We’re talking about a grown ass man in the NBA taking too long at the free-throw line .”
Parsons may have a solid point regarding the amount of time it takes to shoot a free throw and the success rate associated with it.
With Giannis’s time-consuming free throw routine resulting in an average of 62.8% FT’s converted, the Bucks may want to reassess his approach at the charity stripe.
Read: Fans mock Mark Cuban for complaining about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s long free-throw routine: “Call about Luka’s flopping too”, “He’s a snitch Lmfao”
How important is free-throw shooting to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s game?
As mentioned earlier, Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the most aggressive players in the game. Having embraced the identity as a bruiser, Giannis makes use of his strength and athleticism to dominate the low post and on the open floor.
This style of play often opens avenues to practically live on the free-throw line. So, conceptually at least, FT shooting is essential to Giannis’ style of play.
However, although Antetokounmpo only shoots 62.8% from the FT line, he maintains an average of 31.1 points per game. Considering the fact that he attempts an average of 12 free throws a game, it is safe to say that he is putting significant pressure on opposing defenders.
While his limited success at the charity stripe may be a cause for concern, he is still finding ways to bother opposing teams. Considering Parsons’ comments regarding how annoying Giannis’ routine could be for opposing teams, the Bucks superstar could benefit from this frustration.
Read: “I made my free throws when it mattered” Giannis Antetokounmpo shuts up haters after leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a title | 2021 NBA Finals
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