James Yap shoots a free throw.

In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court (the free throw line; informally known as the foul line), and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team. Each successful free throw is worth one point.

Description[link]

Kobe Bryant shooting a free throw.

Free throws can normally be made at a high percentage by good players. In the NBA, most players make between 70–80% of their attempts. The league’s best shooters (such as Steve Nash, Peja Stojaković, Ray Allen, Chauncey Billups, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, and Dirk Nowitzki) can make make roughly 90% of their attempts over a season, while notoriously poor shooters (e.g. Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin, Ben Wallace, Tim Duncan, Rajon Rondo, Andre Iguodala, Glen Davis (basketball) or Marcin Gortat) may struggle to make 50% of them. During a foul shot, a player's foot must be completely behind the foul line. If a player lines up with part of their foot on the line, a violation is called and the shot doesn't count. Foul shots are worth 1 point.

Tall players often shoot free throws poorly; though theoretically, taller players should be better at making them.^[1] One possible explanation for this is that the high release point of their shots can cause them to stand overly erect.^[2] Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain made just 51.1% of his free-throw attempts, one of the lowest percentages of all time,^[3] and the poor free throw shooting of players such as O'Neal and Wallace, have led to the 'Hack-a-Shaq' and other intentional fouling tactics. On the other hand, there have also been big men who have been prolific scorers from free throws, who not surprisingly also have good outside shooting range (an example is Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki who, at 2.13 m (7.0 ft), has a career average of 88% (.877).)

When free throws are awarded[link]

Players waiting on the side during a free throw at a Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Centenary Gentlemen college basketball game.

There are many situations when free throws can be awarded:

The first and most common is when a player is fouled while in the act of shooting. If the foul causes the player to miss the shot, the player receives two or three free throws depending on whether the shot was taken in front of or behind the three-point line. If, despite the foul, the player still makes the attempted shot, the number of free throws is reduced to one, and the basket counts. This is known as a three-point or four-point play, depending on the value of the made basket. Commentators sometimes refer to a successful three-point play as "an old-fashioned three-point play", "a three pointer the hard way" because before the advent of the three-point shot, this was the only way to earn three points on one play, or "And-1", because they made the shot and will get one free throw.

The second is when the fouling team is in the team bonus (or foul penalty) situation. This happens when, in a single period, a team commits a set number of fouls whether or not in the act of shooting. In the NBA, the limit is four fouls per quarter; starting with the fifth foul, or the second in the final 2 minutes if the team has less than 5 fouls, the opposing team gets two free throws. In NCAA basketball, beginning with the seventh foul of the half, one free throw is awarded; if the player makes the free throw, another is given. This is called shooting a "one-and-one". Starting with the tenth foul of the half, two free throws are awarded. Free throws are not awarded for offensive fouls (most often charging fouls), even if the team fouled is in the bonus. The number of fouls that triggers a penalty is higher in college basketball because the game is divided into two 20-minute halves, as opposed to quarters of 10 minutes in FIBA play or 12 minutes in the NBA. As in professional play, a foul in the act of shooting is a two- or three-shot foul, depending on the value of the shot attempt, with one free throw being awarded if the shot is good.

If a player is injured upon being fouled and cannot shoot free throws, the offensive team may designate any player from the bench to shoot in the place of the injured player in college; in the NBA, the opposing team designates the player to shoot, and the injured player can't return, unless the foul committed was a flagrant-2, in which case the player's own team also gets to pick the replacement shooter. If a player fouled takes exception to the foul, and starts or participates in a fight, and gets ejected, he or she is not allowed to take his or her free throws, and the opposing team will choose a replacement shooter. In all other circumstances, the fouled player must shoot his or her own foul shots.

Vasilis Spanoulis taking a free throw

If a player, coach, or team staff (e.g. doctor, statistician) shows poor sportsmanship, which may include arguing with a referee, that person may get charged with a more serious foul called a technical foul. In the NBA, a technical foul results in one free throw attempt for the other team. In FIBA play, as well as NCAA basketball, technical fouls result in two free throws in all situations. At both levels, the opposing team may choose any player who is currently on the court to shoot the free throws, and is then awarded possession of the ball after the free throws. Since there is no opportunity for a rebound, these free throws are shot with no players on the lane.

Finally, if a referee deems a foul extremely aggressive, or that it did not show an attempt to play the ball, the referee can call a even more severe foul, known as an unsportsmanlike foul in international play, a flagrant foul in the NBA, or an intentional foul in NCAA basketball. This foul is charged against the player (and depending on the severity of the offense, can even be ejected), and the opponent gets two free throws and possession of the ball afterwards. Unlike technical fouls, the player fouled must shoot the awarded free throws.

Fouls "away from the ball" (fouls that do not occur on the shooter or near the ball) are handled like the second case above in most situations. Many times defenders hold their opponent to prevent them from catching an in-bound pass or fight through screens and thus are called for fouls. These fouls are almost always treated as normal personal fouls. In the NBA, when there are only two minutes left on the clock of either half, off-ball fouls when the fouling team is over the limit are rewarded with one free throw and possession of the ball. It is therefore common for a losing team to deliberately single out its opponent's poor free-throwers, regardless of their dominance in other aspects of the game (as in the cases of Ben Wallace and of Shaquille O'Neal), as the targets of deliberate fouls until the two-minute mark, after which the losing team plays intense defense for the rest of the game (see Hack-a-Shaq). It is believed that this rule was instituted because of Wilt Chamberlain^{[citation needed]}. Previously teams had been allowed to foul any player on the court regardless of whether that player had possession of the ball, with only two free throws awarded to the fouled player. This motivated teams to chase poor free-throw shooters, such as Chamberlain, around the court in attempt to foul him in an effort to extend the game. To discourage this practice, the NBA changed the rule to award one free throw and possession of the ball to a player who is fouled away from the ball in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter. This rule does not apply in international or NCAA play and in fact plays a very vital strategic role in the NCAA Tournament.

The final way a free throw can be awarded is at the end of overtime. If a game is tied after the overtime period, each team will alternate three to five free throws in a penalty shootout. If one team is not ahead after at least three free throws, the shootout continues in sudden death fashion until one team is ahead of the other team. This rule has yet to be implemented.

Procedure[link]

Fatimatou Sacko for her first free throw.

Free throws are organized in procession. The shooter takes his place behind the free throw line (5.8 m (19 ft) from the base line, 4.6 m (15 ft) from the basket). All other players must stand in their correct places until the ball leaves the shooter's hands:

Up to four people from the defensive team and two people from the shooting team line up along the sides of the restricted area (keyhole, paint, lane). These players are usually the ones that rebound the ball. Three line up on each side. A defensive player always takes the place closest to the basket.

The remaining players must remain behind the three point line and the free throw line extended (an imaginary line extended from the free throw line in both directions to the sidelines).

Leaving their designated places before the ball leaves the shooter's hands, interfering with the ball, are all violations. In addition, the shooter must release the ball within five seconds (ten seconds in the United States) and must not step on or over the free throw line until the ball touches the ring. Players are, however, permitted to jump while attempting the free throw, provided they do not leave the designated area at any point. [1] A violation by the shooter cancels the free throw; a violation by the defensive team results in a substitute free throw if the shooter missed; a violation by the offensive team or a shot that completely misses the ring results in the loss of possession to the defensive team (only if it is on the last free throw).

Under FIBA rules, if the shooter does not commit a violation, and the ball goes in the basket, the attempt is successful, regardless of violations committed by any non-shooter.

Free throws awarded (NBA)[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

¹ Penalty applies to fouls in excess of four in a regulation period or in excess of three in an overtime period. If a team has not committed its foul quota by the two minute mark of a period, it shall be allowed one foul before the penalty applies. Offensive fouls do not count toward this total.
² Defensive fouls committed during a throw-in prior to the ball being released result in two free throws regardless of the penalty situation.
³ In the NBA, a team must have five players on the court at all times. If a team is down to five players because of injuries and players with six fouls, and a player commits his sixth foul, he remains in the game and a technical foul is charged. The technical foul penalty of one free throw and the ball applies.

Historical[link]

Prior to the 1954-55 season, the NBA established the rule that a backcourt foul would result in a "three to make two" situation (up to three attempts to make two free throws) if the violating team was over the team foul limit.^[4] By 1979, the rule had been extended to the penalty situation for flagrant fouls, fouls made in the act of shooting (resulting in a miss), and fouls due to the swinging of the elbows.^[5] Prior to the 1981-82 season, this rule, as well as the related "two to make one" rule were abolished.^[4]

In 1956, in response to reports that Wilt Chamberlain was able to dunk free throws, the NCAA established a rule requiring that free throw shooters keep both feet behind the free throw line during an attempt.^[6] The NBA later adopted this rule.^[7]

Strategy[link]

A lot of basketball strategy revolves around free throws and when to foul players. As mentioned earlier, some players are notoriously bad free throw shooters, even star players - historical examples include Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O'Neal. This allows a strategy where a team intentionally fouls this player, hoping that they will miss one or both shots and the defending team will re-gain possession of the ball. This strategy was dubbed Hack-a-Shaq when famously used on Shaquille O'Neal. Dwight Howard has been subjected to this strategy as well^[8], as have other players.

It can be advantageous for a trailing team to intentionally foul late in a close game. While this allows the leading team to shoot free throws and increase their lead, it also stops the clock, similar to a time out in football (in basketball, a time out may only be called by a team with possession of the ball). As well, it allows the trailing team the chance to take possession if the second free throw is missed, and if it is made awards possession outright to the trailing team. Therefore, many teams substitute players with high free throw percentages when they are leading late in games to combat this strategy. It is seen as a last resort strategy with little chance of success, but if it is not employed the leading team may run out the clock and end the game.

As well, a team that leads by three late in a game may foul intentionally. If the opposing team has possession with the game clock below 10 seconds, which is not enough time for multiple possessions, and is down three points, the obvious strategy for them is to attempt a three pointer to try to send the game into overtime. The leading team may attempt to foul the trailing team before a shot is attempted. As this leads to only two free throws, which is not enough to tie the game, the trailing team must attempt to intentionally miss the second free throw, secure the offensive rebound (which is harder than normal with free throws, as the defending team is automatically given position), and score before the game clock expires. Theoretically, adopting this strategy makes a leading team four times more likely to win the game than allowing the trailing team to attempt a three pointer^[9] .

See also[link]

• 50–40–90 Club, exclusive group of players with one criterion including shooting at least 90 percent of free throws
• List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders

References[link]

Notes

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Free throw

• Official Basketball Rules, FIBA, 2008
• NBA Rule Number 9: Free Throw
• NBA Rule Number 12: Fouls and Penalties

v t e Basketball History and General History of basketball James Naismith Variations of basketball Leagues Glossary of terms Outline Index of articles Rules Officials 3 seconds 5 seconds Carrying Double dribble Foul Goaltending Traveling Basket interference Jump ball Game play Positions Playbook Layup Slam dunk Jump shot Point Field goal Free throw Three-pointer Moves Rebound Assist Dribble Steal Block Screen Flopping Cherry picking Equipment Ball Court Key (lane) Backboard Breakaway rim Shot clock Clothing Basketball sleeve Finger sleeve Miscellany Winning streaks 100-point scorers

Chuck Hayes

Hayes with the Rockets.
No. 42 – Sacramento Kings
Center / Power forward
Personal information
Born	(1983-06-11) June 11, 1983 (age 29) San Leandro, California
Nationality	American
High school	Modesto Christian School Modesto, California
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky
NBA Draft	2005 / Undrafted
Pro career	2005–present
Career history
Albuquerque Thunderbirds (2005–2006) Houston Rockets (2006–2011) Sacramento Kings (2011–present)

Charles "Chuck" Edward Hayes, Jr. (born June 11, 1983 in San Leandro, California) is an American professional basketball player. He is 6'6", 250 pound center/power forward who currently plays for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. He played his college basketball at Kentucky from 2001 to 2005.

High school[link]

As a junior attending Modesto Christian High School in California, Hayes was named all-league and all-state. That year he grabbed 31 rebounds in the 2000 Northern California championship game - a California High School record for all divisions. As a senior, Hayes was named "Mr. Basketball" in California and a Parade All-American while leading his team to the state championship game.

Hayes was also named an all-state football player as a sophomore.

College career[link]

Hayes arrived at the University of Kentucky in 2001 after choosing UK over Kansas in a close recruiting battle. Hayes was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team in 2002. During the next three years, he contributed to a resurgence in Kentucky basketball along with Keith Bogans, Gerald Fitch, Erik Daniels and Kelenna Azubuike. Over Hayes' sophomore, junior and senior seasons, Kentucky accumulated a record of 87–15 (.853), and earned final AP rankings of 1st, 2nd and 7th respectively. During Hayes' senior season, the Kentucky athletics department promoted him as an All-American candidate, using the slogan "All He Does Is Win". Although Hayes was named the 2004 SEC defensive player of the year, he did not earn All-America honors.

Hayes finished his career at Kentucky ranking 7th all time in rebounds, 8th in steals, 9th in blocked shots and 35th in points. He also tied Alex Groza for the Kentucky record for most consecutive starts with 110.

USA Basketball[link]

Chuck Hayes was a member of the 2003 USA men's Pan American Games team. He started all five games and led the team with 7.6 rebounds per game. The team finished in fourth place with a 2–3 record playing against internationally experienced teams from North and South America.

Professional career[link]

NBA Development League[link]

Despite earning MVP honors at the Portsmouth pre-draft camp, Hayes was not selected in the 2005 NBA Draft but was signed by the Houston Rockets prior to the 2005–06 season. Hayes played in several preseason games before being cut. Hayes was then selected sixth in the 2005 NBA Development League Draft by the Albuquerque Thunderbirds.^[1] Hayes led the NBA D-League in rebounding with 12.2 a game in his tenure with the Thunderbirds.

NBA[link]

Due to a rash of injuries on the Houston roster, Hayes was signed to a 10-day contract on January 18, 2006. In his second game in a Rockets uniform, Hayes posted a double-double, collecting 12 points and 13 rebounds in a 109–108 double-overtime win over the Chicago Bulls on January 20.^[2] On January 28, the Rockets announced they were signing Hayes for the rest of the season.^[3] Hayes earned a total of $231,390 for the season between the 10-day contract and the contract for the remainder of the year. He was later joined by former Kentucky teammate Keith Bogans, who was traded by the Charlotte Bobcats for Lonny Baxter on February 9.^[4] The departure of Baxter created room in the depth chart for Hayes. Hayes was also temporarily joined by another Kentucky teammate, Gerald Fitch, who was traded to the Rockets on February 23 but was assigned to the D-League on March 7, 2006.

Hayes was quietly productive for the Rockets in his first season. He appeared in all 40 games after joining the team and averaged 13.4 minutes per game. Hayes was one of the most efficient defensive players in the league, ranking 3rd among rookies in rebounds per 48 minutes (16.1) and 14th in steals per 48 minutes (2.33). He also had an FG% of 52.6%, good for 11th highest in the league among players with at least 100 field goals attempted. On June 13, 2006 the Rockets decided to pick up the option year on his contract (which was worth $664,209), extending his stay with the Rockets through the 2006–07 season.^[5] His first official NBA start occurred November 4, 2006 against the Dallas Mavericks. Fouling out after 17 minutes, he scored 2 points, had 3 rebounds, 2 steals.^[6]

As a starter in most of the Rockets' games for the 2006–07 season, Hayes was a significant contributor. The scope of his role on the team was limited to rebounding, defense, and acting as a decoy or setting screens on offense. The ball was very rarely in his hands on offense. Nevertheless, he has received praise from his coaches^[7] and has appeared on the leaderboard for several statistics in the NBA. He finished his second season in the NBA 12th in rebounds per minute and 34th in rebounds per game.

Several factors hindered Hayes' performance during the season. He hyperextended his left knee and was sidelined for two weeks. His stamina and durability over an 82 game season has been an issue as well; Hayes' style of play is more physically demanding than most. Finally, Hayes has become somewhat notorious for getting in foul trouble. He ended his second season with the 3rd most fouls per game and 7th most fouls per minute in the NBA.

Although not one of the league's premier players, in 2006 Hayes signed a shoe endorsement deal with Chinese athletic apparel company Li Ning. The deal was valued at $5 million.^[8] On July 31, 2007 Hayes signed an incentive-laden contract with the Houston Rockets valued at $8 million over 4 years.^[9][10] In 2009, Hayes was named co-captain along with Shane Battier for the 2009–10 Houston Rockets.

From 2003 to 2009, Hayes had the second highest defensive adjusted plus-minus of all NBA players.^[11] Through December 25, 2009, Hayes had the fifth highest overall adjusted plus-minus for the 2009–10 NBA season.

During the 2009–10 season, Hayes had to log his minutes as the starting center, replacing the injured Yao Ming, who missed the entire season, after suffering a hairline fracture in his left foot.^[12]

On March 23, 2011, Hayes had his first career triple-double, dropping 13 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in a 131–112 home victory over the Golden State Warriors.^[13]

On December 9, 2011, Hayes signed a four-year, $21.3 million contract with the Sacramento Kings. However, the Kings voided the contract on December 19 after his physical exam showed a heart abnormality in an echo test, and the team conducted additional testing.^[14] Hayes then went to the Cleveland Clinic for extensive tests on his heart, and issued a statement on December 22 that cardiologists at the hospital had cleared him to play.^[15] On December 22, 2011, Hayes and the Sacramento Kings agreed to a 4 year, $22.4 million deal.^[16]

Player profile[link]

Hayes is listed as a forward in the NBA, but played center during the Rockets' playoff run in 2009 after injuries to starter Yao Ming and his backup Dikembe Mutombo. Although his skills and style are most suited for interior play, he nearly always has to overcome a significant height disadvantage as he stands only 6'6".

Hayes delays the release on his jumpshots and free-throw attempts, which is referred to as having a "hitch". An example was seen in a game against the Utah Jazz in the 2007 NBA Playoffs, where his unorthodox release drew lane violations from three players on a free-throw attempt.^[17]

Hayes has attributed his "nose for the ball" in part to his father's influence.^[18]

Personal[link]

On April 21, 2007, Hayes became a father. His girlfriend, Nicole Anderson, gave birth to a baby boy, Dorian Titus Hayes. This day later marked Hayes' first career playoff start and first playoff victory as well.^[19]

Hayes has professed an interest for singing, acting and poker.^[20]

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Notes[link]

1. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2309971
2. ^ Houston Rockets vs. Chicago Bulls - Box Score - January 20, 2006 - ESPN
3. ^ Rockets sign forward Hayes for rest of season - NBA - ESPN
4. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2324675
5. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nba&id=2482669
6. ^ Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets - Box Score - November 04, 2006 - ESPN
7. ^ http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldleader/sports/fans/16258830.htm
8. ^ http://www.slate.com/id/2171099/
9. ^ http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pages/Sports/Detail?contentId=3935656&version=4&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=6.1.1
10. ^ http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2007/08/sunshine_state_of_mind_for_me.html
11. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M71VrEBuFA
12. ^ http://basketballvalue.com/topplayers.php?year=2009-2010&mode=summary&sortnumber=94&sortorder=DESC
13. ^ Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets - Recap - March 23, 2011 - ESPN
14. ^ "Kings void Hayes' contract after center fails initial physical exam". The Sacramento Bee. December 19, 2011. http://blogs.sacbee.com/sports/kings/archives/2011/12/kings-void-haye.html. 
15. ^ "Reps: Chuck Hayes has no heart issue". ESPN.com. December 22, 2011. http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7379954/chuck-hayes-reps-say-heart-tests-no-problem-failed-sacramento-kings-physical. Retrieved December 22, 2011. 
16. ^ [1]
17. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLx-Ei2Pk_Y
18. ^ http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_18010.shtml
19. ^ http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Notes_Hayes_becomes_a_proud_f-222258-34.html?rss=true
20. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgMuZXheyD4

External links[link]

• NBA.com Profile - Chuck Hayes
• Chuck Hayes at ESPN.com
• Career UK Stats

Serge Ibaka

Ibaka (Left) in action for the Oklahoma City Thunder
No. 9 – Oklahoma City Thunder
Power forward
Personal information
Born	(1989-09-18) September 18, 1989 (age 22) Brazzaville, People's Republic of the Congo
Nationality	Congolese/Spanish
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24th overall
Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics
Pro career	2007–present
Career history
2007–2008	CB L'Hospitalet (Spain)
2008–2009	Ricoh Manresa (Spain)
2009–present	Oklahoma City Thunder
2011	Real Madrid (Spain)
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Defensive First Team (2012) NBA blocks leader (2012)
Stats at NBA.com
Medals Medal record Competitor for  Spain Men's Basketball FIBA European Championship Gold 2011 Lithuania National Team

Serge Jonas Ibaka Ngobila^[1][2] (born September 18, 1989), commonly referred to as Serge Ibaka, is a Congolese-Spanish professional basketball player, playing the power forward position for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. Ibaka was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics with the 24th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. He is referred to as Air Congo by his teammates.^[3] Serge is the third youngest among eighteen siblings.^[4] Although born in the Republic of the Congo, Ibaka represents Spain in international competition.

Early life[link]

Ibaka was born in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. Both his mother and his father were basketball players. His father played at the Republic of Congo and with the Congolese national team, and his mother played for the Democratic Republic of Congo. He started playing basketball at a very young age with his first club, Avenir du Rail, using the sport as an escape amongst his mother's untimely death and his father's imprisonment during the Second Congo War.^[5]

Ibaka moved to Spain as a teenager and soon found himself playing with several junior basketball clubs, most notably CB L'Hospitalet, with which he won several tournaments.

NBA career[link]

Transition to the NBA[link]

He was selected by the Seattle Supersonics with the 24th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. He became the first player from the Republic of Congo to be selected in the draft, although the Oklahoma City Thunder (the team that inherited the Sonics' place in the NBA) agreed to keep him in Europe. He then signed a three year contract with Ricoh Manresa from the ACB League in Spain, keeping the option to leave for the NBA after each season. In the ACB, he averaged 7.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1 block in 16 minutes per game.

In July 2009, the Oklahoma City Thunder paid the buyout, and signed him to a two year contract with two more optional seasons.

Ibaka, who spoke no English when he first arrived in the NBA, depended on the help of summer league teammate Moses Ehambe to translate for him.^[6] After a lengthy, dedicated year of learning English in addition to the NBA game, Ibaka now speaks a total of five languages: Lingala (native language), French, Catalan, English and Spanish.^[7]

Oklahoma City Thunder (2009–present)[link]

Although coming to the NBA as a raw talent, Ibaka has managed to become a starter in the Thunder rotation. Ibaka is often used for his energy in the paint, whether on defense or rebounding. In his first NBA season, Ibaka played 18.1 minutes per game in 73 games, averaging 6.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. His blocks average led all rookies in the 2009–2010 season, and he ranked number 20 overall. In the first round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers, he played in 6 games, averaging 25.5 minutes, 7.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. His 7 blocks in game two in Los Angeles was a record (youngest player to have 7 blocks in playoff game).

On February 19, 2011, Serge Ibaka participated in the 2011 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.^[8] He began the contest with a dunk from the free-throw line. In the second round, Ibaka grabbed a stuffed animal from the rim with his mouth and dunked in one motion.

During 2011 NBA lockout he signed a two-month contract with Real Madrid in Spain with an option to return to the NBA at the end of the lockout.^[9][10] Over 6 games in the Euroleague, he averaged 5.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2 blocks in 15 minutes per game.^[11]

After the lockout, Ibaka returned to the NBA after playing in Spain. On February 19, 2012, he recorded his first career triple-double against the Denver Nuggets, scoring 14 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and getting a career-high 11 blocks. Ibaka became the first player in franchise history to record a triple-double with double-digit blocks.^[12] He played all 66 games in the shortened season as a starter, averaging the most blocks in the league, 3.6 per game. In voting for the Defensive Player of the Year, he finished second, in front of Orlando's Dwight Howard, who had won the award each of the previous three seasons, but behind Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks.^[13]

Spanish national team[link]

Ibaka in action for the Spain national basketball team

Internationally, Ibaka plays for the Spain national basketball team as he was granted Spanish citizenship on July 15, 2011.^[14] His team won the gold medal in the Eurobasket 2011, beating France in the final by a score of 98–85.

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

See also[link]

• List of National Basketball Association players with 10 or more blocks in a game

References[link]

External links[link]

• Highlights from a Spanish junior tournament on YouTube
• Serge Ibaka at Adidas Nations on YouTube
• Serge Ibaka wins the 2008 ACB Concurso de mates (Dunk contest)
• NBADraft.net Profile
• DraftExpress Profile

Blake Griffin

Griffin with the Clippers
No. 32 – Los Angeles Clippers
Power Forward
Personal information
Born	(1989-03-16) March 16, 1989 (age 23) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Nationality	American
High school	Oklahoma Christian School (Edmond, Oklahoma)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	251 lb (114 kg)
Career information
College	Oklahoma
NBA Draft	2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Los Angeles Clippers
Pro career	2009–present
Career history
2009–present	Los Angeles Clippers
Career highlights and awards
NBA Rookie of the Year (2011) 2× NBA All-Star (2011, 2012) All-NBA Second Team (2012) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2011) NBA Slam Dunk Champion (2011) Adolph Rupp Trophy (2009) AP National Player of the Year (2009) John R. Wooden Men's Player of the Year Award (2009) NABC Player of the Year (2009) Naismith College Player of the Year (2009) Oscar Robertson Trophy (2009) Big 12 Player of the Year (2009)
Stats at NBA.com

Blake Austin Griffin (born March 16, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Griffin had a renowned high school career at Oklahoma Christian School, winning state titles each of his four years under his father, Tommy Griffin, who was the head coach. He played college basketball for the University of Oklahoma Sooners and was awarded numerous accolades in his second year including the Naismith College Player of the Year, Oscar Robertson Trophy and the John Wooden Award.^[1]

Griffin left college after two seasons to enter the 2009 NBA Draft where he was selected first overall by the Clippers. In his first season, he broke his left kneecap, which he injured during the final pre-season game, and underwent surgery missing the entire 2009–10 season. He made his NBA debut as a rookie the following season and was selected as an All-Star, won the 2011 NBA Slam Dunk Contest and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. In 2011, Sports Illustrated ranked him as one of the NBA's 15 Greatest Rookies of All Time.^[2]

Early years[link]

Childhood[link]

Blake Griffin was born on March 16, 1989, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to Tommy and Gail Griffin.^[3] His father was a basketball center and track standout at NAIA Northwestern Oklahoma State University.^[4] Griffin and his older brother, Taylor Griffin, were home-schooled by their mother from first grade until Taylor was in the tenth grade and Blake was in eighth.^[5][6][7][8] The Griffin brothers are bi-racial, their father being African-American and their mother White.^[9] Growing up, he was good friends with Sam Bradford, who currently plays for the St. Louis Rams and played on the same Athletes First AAU basketball team with Xavier Henry, now with the New Orleans Hornets.^[8][10] Griffin’s parents owned a trophy company that Bradford’s father would use and Bradford’s father owned a gym where Griffin and his brother Taylor played basketball.^[11] Apart from basketball, he also played baseball as a first baseman and football as a wide receiver, safety and a tight end.^[11][12]

High school[link]

After years of competing against his brother, Taylor, Griffin enrolled at Oklahoma Christian School in 2003, after Taylor. They played under their father, who was the head coach. They played together during the 2003–04 and 2004–05 high school seasons, winning two state high school basketball championships together.^[5] In his freshmen year, the Oklahoma Christian Saints posted a perfect 29–0 season and won the Class 3A boys state championship game held at the State Fair Arena against Riverside Indian School, 55–50.^[13] In his sophomore year, the Saints repeated as Class 3A state champions, defeating Sequoyah-Tahlequah 51–34, where he scored 12 points to go along with 9 rebounds.^[14] The team finished the season with a 24–2 record,^[15] with Griffin averaging 13.6 points per game. He was later named to the Little All-City All-State team in what was his final high school season with his brother.^[16] After his sophomore year, his brother accepted a scholarship to play college basketball for the University of Oklahoma Sooners. During the summer of 2005, he was a member of the Athletes First AAU team, where he played against Kevin Durant and Ty Lawson's AAU team, the DC Blue Devils.^[17][18]

During his junior season, the Oklahoma Christian basketball team was moved down to Class 2A from the Class 3A.^[19] As he began his third season with the Saints, he was quickly developing into a strong and athletic player,^[20] as he led the Saints to a third straight state championship, scoring 22 points, 9 rebounds and 6 blocks, defeating Washington High School 57–40.^[21] He was named the state tournament MVP,^[22] and the Saints finished the season 27–1, with Griffin averaging 21.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. For his efforts, he was named The Oklahoman Player of the Year and to the Tulsa World Boys All-State First Team.^[23] His play attracted the attention of the new basketball head coach for Oklahoma, Jeff Capel, who first heard of him through his brother Taylor.^[4] That spring, Capel saw him play for the first time and was impressed with his combination of size, strength and athleticism.^[4] Capel liked the fact that Griffin had not yet become a household name among recruiters and recruited him because he felt he was the player he needed to rebuild his tenure with the Oklahoma men's basketball program.^[4] He had been considering Duke, Kansas, North Carolina and Texas,^[4] but his brother eventually sold him on joining Oklahoma when he raved about the direction of the Sooners and the chance to play together again for his home state.^[24]

Griffin committed to Oklahoma before the start of his senior season^[24] and averaged 26.8 points, 15.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.9 blocks per game as a senior while leading the team to a 26–3 record.^[3] In a game against Oklahoma City Southeast, he finished with an eye-popping triple-double, 41 points, 28 rebounds, and 10 assists.^[25] The Saints advanced through the playoffs, defeating Crescent in the quarterfinals and Foyil in the semifinals to earned a berth in the Class 2A state championship.^[26] On March 10, 2007, he played his final high school game in the state title game against Pawnee High School.^[16] He registered 22 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks, as the Saints defeated Pawnee 81–50, winning their fourth straight state title.^[5] He was named the Class 2A state tournament MVP for the second consecutive year after averaging 26.6 points per game in the tournament, winning its three games by an average of 30.3 points.^[3] During his four-year run, the Oklahoma Christian Saints posted a 106–6 overall record.^[27]

Griffin was named the Player of the Year by both the Tulsa World and The Oklahoman and named a Oklahoma Boys All-State First Team, EA Sports All-American Second Team and a Parade Third Team All-American.^[25][28] He was ranked as the nation's #13 high school senior by HoopScoop, #20 by scout.com and #23 by rivals.com,^[29] and as the country's third-best power forward by HoopScoop, sixth by rivals.com and the seventh by scout.com.^[3] Additionally, he was the Gatorade Oklahoma Player of the Year and was selected to the McDonald's All-American and Jordan Brand All-America teams.^[30][31] At the McDonald's All-American game in Louisville, Kentucky he won the Powerade Jam Fest slam dunk contest.^[32]

College career[link]

Griffin while playing at Oklahoma

Griffin was one of the highest rated and most decorated recruits ever at Oklahoma.^[3] As a freshman at Oklahoma, he averaged 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds in 28.4 minutes per game and led the Sooners to a 23–12 record.^[33] He ranked ninth in scoring, fourth in rebounding and third in field goal percentage in the Big 12 Conference.^[3] In a game against the Kansas Jayhawks, he suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee five minutes into the Sooners game.^[34] Less than two months after injuring his left knee, he injured his right knee in a home victory against Texas A&M.^[35] The injury this time was torn cartilage, and he had arthroscopic surgery on March 2, 2008.^[35] He missed the following game, a victory over in-state rival Oklahoma State Cowboys,^[36] but was back on the court a week after the injury with 14 points and 8 rebounds in 28 minutes versus the Missouri Tigers, a win for the Sooners on their home floor.^[33] He was a first-team all-district pick by the USBWA and NABC, and was named to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team and to the first-team All-Big 12 selection by league coaches and Associated Press.^[3] He became the first Sooner to make the conference All-Rookie team since Wayman Tisdale in 1983 for the Big Eight Conference.^[37] He was expected to be a lottery pick in the 2008 NBA Draft but decided to return to college for a second season to give himself time to mature physically and make Oklahoma a contender for the NCAA championship.^[6]