Joakim Noah can do a lot of very difficult things on a basketball court and make them look easy, but when it comes to free-throw shooting, he makes the seemingly simple look near impossible.
The New York Knicks center started his career as a relatively tremendous free-throw shooter, especially for a big guy, but he’s seen a sharp drop-off from the charity stripe over the last two seasons.
After shooting no worse than 68 percent from the line in each of his first seven seasons, Noah dropped to 60 percent two seasons ago before falling under 50 percent last season and checking in at 41.7 percent this season.
That disheartening figure includes an airball Tuesday night that might have been the worst free throw we’ve seen in a very, very long time. Judging by Noah’s reaction, he’d probably agree.
It doesn’t get a whole lot worse than that.
Noah is in the first season of a four-year, $72 million contract that some already are calling the worst deal in the NBA. The Knicks are 20-26, losers of three of their last 10 and once again among the Eastern Conference’s worst teams.
H/t to Busted Coverage