Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers
Being an elite free-throw shooter has a strong correlation to making the Hall of Fame.
Many of the best players in NBA history were elite free-throw shooters, and every player who has led the league in the category at least four times is in the Hall of Fame (or will be in the Hall of Fame, in the case of Steph Curry). Below is the list of players who have led the league in free-throw percentage multiple times.
Bill Sharman – 7 times
A Hall-of-Famer, Sharman was one of the best players of the 1950s. He was a seven-time All-NBA selection and a four-time champion with the Boston Celtics. In his 11-year career, Sharman posted a 88.3 FT%, topping out at 93.2 FT% in the 1958-59 campaign. He made a career-high 19 free throws in a loss to the Philadelphia Warriors on March 8, 1956. Nicknamed “Bullseye Bill”, Sharman finished his career with averages of 18.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 32.0 minutes per game. After his retirement, he became a head coach from 1966-1976. He excelled, winning an ABA title with the Utah Stars in 1971 and immediately following up with an NBA title in 1972 with the Los Angeles Lakers. Sharman was an NBA executive with the Lakers from 1976-1982.
Ricky Barry – 6 times
Barry’s 14-year career was jam-packed with accolades, leading to a Hall of Fame induction. He was a six-time All-NBA selection, a 12-time All-Star and won a title in 1975 with the Golden State Warriors. He also won Rookie of the Year in 1966 and followed that up by leading the NBA in scoring (35.6 PPG) as a sophomore. Two years later, he led the ABA in scoring (34.0 PPG). Later, in 1974-75, he led the league in steals (2.9 STL). In addition, Barry was one of the best free-throw shooters ever. He finished with a career 89.3 FT%, with his highest single-season mark being 94.7 FT% in 1978-79. He made a career-high 23 free throws playing in the ABA on Feb. 7, 1969. Across Barry’s 14-year career, he spent time with the San Francisco Warriors, the Oakland Oaks, the Washington Capitols, the New York Nets, the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets.
Reggie Miller – 5 times
One of the greatest shooters ever, the Hall-of-Famer spent his entire 18-year career with the Indiana Pacers. Miller was a five-time All-Star and a three-time All-NBA selection. He first led the NBA in free-throw percentage during his fourth year in the league, posting a mark of 91.8 FT%. He set the highest mark of his career in his final 2004-05 season, making 93.3% of his free throws. For his career, Miller posted a 88.8 FT%. He made a career-high 21 free throws during a win over the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 28, 1992.
Stephen Curry – 4 times
Curry is arguably the greatest shooter of all time. He’s a two-time MVP and a four-time NBA champion en route to a Hall of Fame selection. He wasted no time, leading the NBA in free-throw percentage (93.4%) during his second year, which is the highest mark of his career. At 15 years with the Golden State Warriors, Curry holds a career 91.0 FT%. He set a career-high with 18 made free throws in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 3, 2021. However, Curry is more known for making the most threes in NBA history (3,747). He’s led the league in scoring twice and steals once.
Larry Bird – 4 times
A three-time MVP and three-time NBA champion, Bird is acknowledged as one of the best players in NBA history. His craftiness allowed him to get to the free-throw line often. He first led the league in free-throw percentage with 88.8 FT% in 1983-84. His best mark occurred in 1989-90 with 93.0 FT%. Bird finished his career with a mark of 88.6 FT% and never shot below 83.6 FT% in a given season. He set a career-high with 16 free-throws made in a close loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on April 12, 1985. Bird went on to coach three seasons in the NBA, winning coach of the year in 1998 making it to the NBA Finals with the Indiana Pacers in 2000. He was an NBA executive from 2003-2017, also with the Pacers, winning 2012 Executive of the Year.
Other players with multiple FT% titles
- Dolph Schayes (3)
- Mark Price (3)
- Bob Feerick (2)
- Larry Costello (2)
- Oscar Roberton (2)
- Larry Siegfried (2)
- Ernie DiGregorio (2)
- Calvin Murphy (2)
- Kyle Macy (2)
- Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (2)
- Peja Stojakovic (2)
- Steve Nash (2)
