“Don’t make me shoot that granny shot”: Shaquille O’Neal once refused to take free throws like Rick Barry
Shaquille O’Neal is the most dominant player in NBA history, and at the same time he has a low free throw percentage!
At 7’1 and 325 pounds, there was nothing that could have prepared the NBA for what they were about to witness. The stature, size, and physique that O’Neal possessed made it impossible for the opposing “Big Men” to stop him.
His best moments in the NBA are proof of this. It’s also why he became such a formidable force to play against. His ability to dominate the paint with ease made him a prolific threat at a time when the game was played around the basket.
Shaquille O’Neal’s Monster 1999-00 Season (IA):
⇨ 29.4 points/75⇨ 13.5 rebounds/75 (4.2 orb.)⇨ 4.2 assists/75⇨ 3.5 shares/75⇨ +5.5 TS% (111 TS+)⇨ Central engine of an offense that produced a +3.2 rORtg (top 5 itl)⇨ Led a team to 67 wins (1 unanimous MVP vote) pic.twitter.com/HQPW3bR32e
– BMORE (@bmoretalks_ball) October 1, 2022
Not to mention, ‘Diesel’ starred in a Los Angeles Lakers team that would assert supremacy over the rest of the league, beating their competition three years in a row. Most fondly remembered as the iconic ‘Three-peat’!
But like any other colossal force, ‘Shaq’ had his flaws. Keeping his fairly large frame in shape is the main thing, but let’s not sweep the rug on his lousy free throw shooting.
Also read: “I never wanted to be the best. I wanted to be the baddest!”: Shaquille O’Neal described his mindset during his legendary NBA career
Shaquille O’Neal refused to take his free throws by talking back to Rick Barry, in light of his poor free throw shooting!
O’Neal’s free-throw shooting problems date back long before his NBA career developed. ‘Diesel’ shared his thoughts on how his former LSU coach, Dale Brown, persecuted him to perfect his free throw miss.
if Shaquille O’Neal made every free throw he missed in the 2000 NBA Finals, he would have averaged 51 points per game…absolutely insane pic.twitter.com/XT6kA9U3ZJ
— (@kksIidxr) April 1, 2022
It’s no secret that the former NBA ‘MVP’ had trouble down the line. However, since he was unstoppable, opponents resorted to the tactic, with the default knowledge that the four-time NBA champion was horrendous at it.
When O’Neal’s form did not improve, Coach Brown told him:
“Do you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to make you dirty with soot. Rick Barry, who was in the Hall of Fame, was the best at it.”
To which O’Neal replied:
“Coach, please don’t do that. Please don’t make me fire that granny shot. It is shameful.”
Shaquille O’Neal continued to dominate with poor free throws
This just goes to show that even the best players of all time have their flaws. It is the hard work, resilience and perseverance that we bring to the profession and the skill in which we wish to excel that makes us stand out from the rest.
Shaquille O’Neal at home in the 2001 playoffs:
35/18/4 and 2.8 BLKS at 58.3 FG%
Kobe Bryant on tour in the 2001 playoffs:
32/9/5 and 1.6 STLS at 46.4 FG%
Best one-two punch ever pic.twitter.com/VvgzOdBPXy
— KobeFiles (@KobesFiles) October 2, 2022
Fortunately, for the 50-year-old, he was dominant enough to become one of the greatest NBA players of all time, despite his poor free throw shooting!
Also read: “I’m Joel Embiid, Shaquille O’Neal was a fucking monster when he played”: Sixers center thinks he dominates the game in other ways than a physical specimen like The Diesel
