LeBron James Makes A Backwards, Overhead Free Throw Look Shockingly Easy

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When LeBron James’ jumper is falling, the four-time MVP just doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses offensively. He’s a monster on the block, a devastating penetrator, and the most feared transition player in basketball… all while doubling as one of the game’s most effective and creative playmakers from all over the floor.

But even at his best from the perimeter, what’s always kept James from peak shooting efficiency is the free throw line. He’s never managed better than 78 percent from the charity stripe in his 12 NBA seasons, and those relative struggles received more fanfare last season when he made just 71 percent of his freebies. The 30-year-old even briefly experimented with a new free throw release in March after a dismal showing at the line cost his team a win over the Houston Rockets. That change was short-lived, however, as he eventually reverted back to the style used throughout his storied career.

The offseason, though, is the time to experiment, tweak, and develop. Might James be testing a new approach in the clip above? Given the shot’s effortless nature and pitch-perfect result, perhaps he really should try shooting free throws backwards in 2015-16.

[Via gfycat] [h/t r/nba]

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