NBA: 10 strangest free throw routines in NBA history

NBA: 10 strangest free throw routines of all time

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5. Don Nelson

Most basketball fans know Don Nelson as the winningest coach in NBA history. Nelson was Dirk Nowitzki’s first NBA coach, and he was at the helm for the Golden State Warriors during Stephen Curry’s rookie season.

Before any of that took place, Nelson actually played in the NBA. He was an awkward free throw shooter who played two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also won five NBA titles with the Boston Celtics in 11 seasons.

His shooting motion at the line wasn’t as respected as either of the NBA franchises that he played for, however. Not only did he jump during his shooting motion at the line, but his knee would get so low to the ground that it appeared as if he was going to make a marriage proposal on the parquet floor at the Boston Garden.

It may have looked insane, but it worked. Nelson shot a respectable 76.5 percent from the free throw line during his career. The Hall-of-Famer had success at the line way before he even entered the NBA. He held NCAA record for most free throws made in a game. As a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes basketball team, he once made 21 free throws against Indiana. The record stood for 55 years before being broken by senior guard Peter Jok last year.