NBA 2018-19 Season Analysis: DeAndre Jordan's Free-Throw shooting resurgence
Jordan's free-throw antics earned him a reputation of his own. As dominant and thunderous he was on the rim posterizing so many with his alley-oop dunks, he was always a subpar act from the FT line. Teams had easily figured that fouling him was an easy way to get the ball back with minimal damage. DeAndre averaged a meager 45% from the line throughout the career.
But do notice the tense being used in writing here, it's all in the past.
Ever since he joined the Mavericks for the 2018-19 season on a one-year deal, he's been dropping FTs at a career-high average of 75%. He just so suddenly is not that miserable from the line anymore. The last weapon a player his caliber needed in his arsenal.
In the 24 games he has played so far for the Mavericks, he has attempted 95 free-throws and made 72 of them. Such exponential rise in any aspect of the game by any player in the history of the NBA is unheard of. And mind you, he has retained all his superhuman qualities too at the same time, averaging an imposing 13.8 boards per game on the season.
DeAndre's transition to a Maverick has had a noticeable impact on him mentally, as he pointed out in the following statement:
“It was a great 10 years for me (in L.A.),” he added. “But this has been a chance for me to step outside the box. I am a person that doesn’t do well with change but this has been a great experience. The game is always going to change and the world is always going to change, we are going to change as people. I’m trying to focus on what is present and everything else will happen naturally.”
Clearly, this is the metamorphosis DJ needed and deserved.
"He didn't come here to lose games," coach Rick Carlisle said. "It's a big move for him to come here after being some place for a decade. He's doing a lot of things from a leadership standpoint. It's pretty clear when you watch him that he's into it."
Mavs assistant coach Mosley would include a special 30-second rapid-fire free-throw routine at the end of Jordan's workout, and in head coach Rick Carlisle's words, "The results are there." He would launch free-throws continuously without dribbling, with the rest of the support crew juggling multiple balls in constant motion.
Throughout the process, DJ made sure to remain extremely calm and covert about it, because obviously, he didn't want the media hyping up his work ethic from the line, only to end up being disappointed for the 11th year in a row.
Jordan's 30 now, and at this point in their careers, many players find themselves looking down from a tipping point of no return, but he's shown true conviction to change the stereotype. The way DJ has set on this path of resurgence has flipped the stat-sheets to everyone's surprise.