How Raptors Center Jakob Poeltl Improved His Free Throws & Why It Matters

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl posted a career-best season at the free throw line, and it could make a big difference for the team next year

Nov 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) points against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Jakob Poeltl just stopped overthinking it.

He didn’t overhaul his shooting form. He didn’t scrap his routine. There was no dramatic fix behind his free throw improvement this season with the Toronto Raptors. He simply relaxed.

For years, Poeltl was one of the NBA’s worst free throw shooters, entering this season with a career average of just 53.8%. It often made him a liability in crunch time. Opposing teams knew they could foul him late and count on at least one miss. The Los Angeles Clippers put that theory to good use in November, sending Poeltl to the line in the final seconds and watching him split the pair.

But something changed this year.

Poeltl shot a career-best 67.4% from the line, clearing the 60% mark for the first time. It may not be eye-popping by league standards, but for Poeltl, it marked meaningful growth.

“I think the biggest difference for me this year was that I felt like for 90% of the season, maybe even more, I felt just fine going to the free throw line,” Poeltl said during his season-ending media availability. “There was no doubt in my mind… no overthinking.”

He has been putting in the work for years. Stick around the OVO Athletic Centre after practice and you’ll likely see him at the free throw line, drilling his routine and fine-tuning his touch around the paint. His form may not be perfect, but the more significant hurdle was always mental.

“I’ve done it thousands, millions of times,” he said. “Just go up there and do it. If you miss, you miss. If you make it, you make it.”

As the season went on, Poeltl settled in. Making the first free throw helped the second come easier. His confidence built, and the anxiety faded.

“It’s kind of like a snowball effect,” he said. “With the results, that becomes easier and easier. So hopefully that can continue from here on out.”

Next season, the stakes will be higher. The Raptors are aiming to take a step forward, and late-game execution will carry more weight. That includes free throws.

Poeltl is central to what Toronto wants to do. He anchors the defense and plays a key role in the half-court offense. But to make an impact when it matters most, he needs to be on the floor. If teams can still send him to the line without consequence, the Raptors may not have that option.

That’s what makes this past season so important. Poeltl didn’t transform into a knockdown shooter, but he took a real step forward. And in games that come down to a single possession, a 67% shooter is a lot easier to trust than one hovering near 50.

It may seem like a small thing. For a Raptors team with playoff aspirations next year, it could be a huge difference.

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