"Could read a couple of chapters": Hawks announcer latest to take comical jab at Giannis Antetokounmpo's slow FT routine
As great of a player as he is, Giannis Antetokounmpo has a few chinks in his armor and some see his free-throw shooting as one of his weaknesses. More so, 'The Greek Freak' also has one of the most unique free throw routines in the entire NBA.
Similar to Karl Malone's lengthy free-throw routine during the 90s, the former league MVP adopts a similar approach, nearly pushing the boundaries of the 10-second violation rule. Given that only a handful of players exploit this tactic to its fullest potential, certain referees may be lenient in enforcing the 10-second violation. Opposing teams are keenly aware of this strategy, as demonstrated by LeBron James during a Lakers matchup against the Bucks.
In the most recent match by Atlanta and Milwaukee, it was Hawks play-by-blay commentator Bob Rathbun's turn to take a jab on Antetokounmpo's routine.
"“If you brought a book with you to the game, you could read a couple of chapters waiting for Giannis at the line," Rathbun said Antetokounmpo is shooting free throws in the final seconds of the first quarter.
Rathbun was not done and after Giannis Antetokounmpo made his first free throw that increased the Bucks lead 31-28, he took another verbal swipe.
"Next free throw- 15 minutes," Rathbun followed.
These comments by Rathbun have become a subject in social media triggering a few laughs from NBA basketball fans.
The free throw accuracy of Giannis Antetokounmpo
Of course with the long free throw routine of Giannis Antetokounmpo, many would wonder if he has been improving his free throw percentage as he is on the tail end of his 11th NBA season.
Entering the league in the 2013-14 season, a 19-year-old Antetokounmpo managed to log in 24.6 minutes of playing time and did 68.3% in 2.6 free throws per game. This was his fourth worst season on the free throw line in his career.
In the 2019-20 season, it was the worst free throw shooting year for Antetokounmpo, with his percentage dropping to 63% while attempting an average of 10 free throws per game. It appears that in seasons where he attempts at least 10 free throws per game, his best performance from the foul line is around 72%, as observed during the 2021-22 season.
The best shooting season from the free throw line for Giannis was way back in the 2016-17 season when he did 77% in 7.7 free throw attempts per game. But so far this season, he is only doing 65.9%.
For his NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo is a 70.2% free throw shooter and he is far from the perceived NBA free throw shooting standard at 80%.