Sports

70-Year-Old Basketball Coach Schools Wofford’s Wonky Free Throw Shooter With Underhand Clinic

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Kyler Filewich Free Throw Tennessee Rick Barnes Wofford
© Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images — ESPN

Tennessee, led by head coach Rick Barnes, will play its next college basketball game against Wofford in the NCAA Tournament. The Volunteers are going to get their first (and only) taste of Kyler Filewich and his new free throw form on Thursday evening.

The Terriers’ star center is something of an enigma.

By the numbers, Filewich is one of the best bigs in college basketball. He is also one of the worst free throw shooters. Things got so bad over the last two years that the coaching staff in Spartanburg decided to try a new approach at the beginning of February. They’re went underhand.

At 6-foot-9, 250 pounds, it is rather jarring to watch Filewich step up to the charity stripe to shoot granny-style free throws— to the point that a recent opponent actively mocked him during the game while losing by 15 points. His form could not be less fluid. Results vary.

There were a few games where Filewich made 4-of-6 and 6-of-10. There were a few games where he went 1-for-5 and even 0-for-5. His free throw shooting percentage is below 35% on the entire season.

This is not to discredit Kyler Filewich as a player. In the entire NCAA, he is top-36 in double-doubles, top-15 in rebounds and offensive rebounds, and top-35 in rebounds per game.

The free throws are a problem.

As Tennessee prepares to play Wofford, Filewich’s unusual form is a primary topic of conversation. The Volunteers are just as mesmerized as the fans.

Rick Barnes, who is old enough to have watched Rick Barry, decided to give it a try.

He went 6-for-10.

Barnes did a better job at underhand free throws than Kyler Filewich at 70 years old. Only one time since Filewich made the switch to underhand has he achieved the same free throw shooting percentage as the head coach.

Tennessee actually hosted Wofford in Knoxville last season. Filewich was still shooting overhand! This will be the first opportunity for the Volunteers, and the world, to experience the underhand form.