Hack-a-Shaq
Hack-a-Shaq is a basketball strategy initially instituted in the National Basketball Association (NBA) by the Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson to hinder the scoring ability of the opposing team by continuously committing professional fouls against one of its opposing players, the player chosen being the one with the weakest free throw percentage among players on the court.
Nelson initially devised the strategy for use against the Chicago Bulls, specifically power forward Dennis Rodman, who was a poor free throw shooter. However, it ultimately became better-known for its implementation against center Shaquille O'Neal, also known for his low free throw percentage. The name of the strategy is sometimes altered to reflect the player being fouled, for example Hack-a-Howard for Dwight Howard.
Name
The name is a colloquial rhyme that comes from the term hack, basketball slang for a personal foul, and Shaq, a nickname for Shaquille O'Neal. Although the name is obviously informal, no more formal name for the strategy has yet come into common usage. Even in the context of more formal conversations, the name Hack-a-Shaq is generally used.