Theo's FTs

[MU82]

Theo entered the season as a .525 career FT shooter.

After going 8-for-9 and 7-for-8 the last two games, he's at .739 this season.

His form is very good. I trust him to make them.

Proud of him working hard to improve, which he has done not just in FT% but across the board.

[harryp]

I AGREE, IT IS VERY NOTICEABLE. ALSO EFFECTIVE, GIVES US ANOTHER THREAT AND DETERS THE DEFENSE FROM FOULING .

[shoothoops]

Theo's Free Throws and form are among my favorite on court MUBB stories of this season.

[jutaw22mu]

His FTs almost feel like they're automatic. Almost.  Impressive improvement there and across the board.

[tower912]

Much better this year.  I am so conditioned by the previous 3 years that I still hold my breath and wince a little when it goes up.

[StillWarriors]

I always thought his shot looked better than the percentage he shot, but to make such a drastic rise % wise is impressive after 3 years of struggling there. I suppose the hand could have played a part last year. In any event, his improvement in his overall offensive game is the fun and increasingly rare part of seeing a player develop over the four years of college at one school.

[shoothoops]

Theo's Free Throws are an example to other coaches and players that a poor FT shooter, with poor form, can change his FT form, develop a simple repeatable shot and routine. And one can even do this several years into a college career.

[wadesworld]

Maybe Giannis can hire him as his shooting coach after he graduates.

[WarriorInNYC]

Theo entered the season as a .525 career FT shooter.

After going 8-for-9 and 7-for-8 the last two games, he's at .739 this season.

His form is very good. I trust him to make them.

Proud of him working hard to improve, which he has done not just in FT% but across the board.

This has to be near the top of the greatest year-over-year FT improvements in college bball history, right?  I'm not quite sure how to look this up (and it's likely quite cumbersome), but I can't remember anyone that was such a poor FT shooter their whole career becoming a 70%+ FT shooter their last season.  And it's not like this is a volume thing that is construing the stats.

17-18:  18/36
18-19:  45/89
19-20:  42/75
20-21:  51/69

[TSmith34, Inc.]

In his first couple of years, he FT shot had an overly high arc to it; he's completely changed his form.

Anyone know if he worked with someone in particular on this?

Also, Theo is 4th in the country in FG% and 5th in the country in BPG.

[GoldenWarrior11]

MU has been very fortunate to have bigs that could make FTs. In past decade, we had Theo, Fisher, Heldt and Davante.  Otule and Jayce were so/so from the line.

[forgetful]

Don't forget Theo has even knocked down some 3's this year. Amazing transformation. I know Wojo has already said no seniors will come back for an extra year, but I'd love to see Theo back again in 2021-22.

[PGsHeroes32]

In his first couple of years, he FT shot had an overly high arc to it; he's completely changed his form.

Anyone know if he worked with someone in particular on this?

Also, Theo is 4th in the country in FG% and 5th in the country in BPG.

?????

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Don't forget Theo has even knocked down some 3's this year. Amazing transformation. I know Wojo has already said no seniors will come back for an extra year, but I'd love to see Theo back again in 2021-22.

I don't believe Wojo has said that definitively. I think it was more along the lines of they don't expect any seniors to come back. I still think the most likely outcome is none of them return but I wouldn't say the door has been slammed shut.

[MU82]

Theo is 4th in the country in FG% and 5th in the country in BPG.

At .571, Theo is not in the top 30 in FG%. (I don't believe he has enough attempts to even qualify among leaders, but he'd be about 32nd). And at 1.68, he is 57th in blocks per game.

Your slight mistake notwithstanding, Theo has improved quite a bit as a player over his Marquette career -- joining Sacar, Markus, Sam, JJJ, Rowsey and several others who improved under this coaching staff, many of them significantly so.

[LloydsLegs]

I think Tony meant in the Big East.  And that is correct.

[WarriorPride68]

Could watch Theo shoot FT all day. Built like Dwight Howard and yet his FT stroke is beautiful

[CTWarrior]

Could watch Theo shoot FT all day. Built like Dwight Howard and yet his FT stroke is beautiful

Wow, I thought I was easily amused...

[toolio]

using barttorvik numbers as of today Theo is 13th most improved at free throws with at least 40 attempts as of feb-18-2021

[GooooMarquette]

Theo's Free Throws are an example to other coaches and players that a poor FT shooter, with poor form, can change his FT form, develop a simple repeatable shot and routine. And one can even do this several years into a college career.

I was always amazed that Shaq never improved at free throw shooting. Maybe it was because he was already making huge bucks, but if he had truly worked at it with a good coach, he could have improved the one noticeable weak spot in his game.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Amazing that he shot that well last season with broken wrists.

[manny31]

I think Theo's overall improvement is a bright spot in a crappy year. Maybe I missed it but I didn't see any mention of his wrist injury. Imagine what he might have achieved absent the bum wrist last year.

[shoothoops]

I was always amazed that Shaq never improved at free throw shooting. Maybe it was because he was already making huge bucks, but if he had truly worked at it with a good coach, he could have improved the one noticeable weak spot in his game.

I like to examine each player individually. With Shaq, he's already at a disadvantage with size, as the ball is like shooting a tennis ball for him. From his own words, he said he had nerves in games at the line vs practice. And he said he had difficulty concentrating, meaning repeating the same specific routine with his feet, hands, elbow, ball height, where on fingers holding ball, what he looks at, etc...(he said he would focus on a person in the crowd as opposed to being glued at just over the front rim)

Many but not all poor FT shooters sre bigger players that don't often shoot from 15 feet.

Theo stands out as a bit unique because it took him several years to do it. He put in the work and it's paying off. Good for him.

[MU82]

Rick Barry offered to teach Ben Wallace how to shoot underhand free throws and said he'd give Wallace a money-back guarantee -- lessons would be free if Wallace didn't shoot at least 75%.

Wallace, a career 41.4% FT shooter, said no because underhand free throws "aren't cool."

Yes, because it's much cooler to brick FTs or to have be removed from close games because your coach can't trust to have you in there.

Meanwhile ...

Shaq used to say, "I make them all the time in practice."

That means one of only two things:

1. He was lying about actually making them in practice. OR

2. He was admitting to being a choker who couldn't take game pressure.

I choose 1 for sure, but also possibly 2.

[mileskishnish72]

I am very impressed with Theo's improved technique and performance on FT's and appreciate the fact that he must have worked diligently to get better.  Kudos to Theo.