'Silly as Hell,' Knicks' Mitchell Robinson Against Trying Rick Barry's Underhand Free Throws

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is shooting 39.3 percent from the free throw line this season, and he's trending in the wrong direction with just one make in his last seven attempts from the charity stripe.

Last May, Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry, whose underhanded free throw style helped him shoot 90 percent from the line, offered to teach Robinson his method per comments made to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

As his struggles continue this year, Robinson said he hasn't tried the underhanded method. He also won't be doing it in the future.

"Nah," Robinson said after he was asked he ever tried underhanded free throws, per Bondy. "I feel like that's silly as hell."

Robinson has played all eight of his NBA seasons with the Knicks. He's a 50.9 percent career free throw shooter, and he just made 68.4 percent of his free throws during the 2024-25 regular season. The 27-year-old has shown the capability to shoot better from the line, but it hasn't worked out this year.

When asked why he felt he's struggling, Robinson said it was because he doesn't get outside shots (not necessarily free throws) up in practice.

"I don't get shots up like that (in practice). I just do a lot of lay-ups, hook shots, stuff like that," Robinson said, per Bondy. "If you don't get shots, you don't know how it is. You're not comfortable with it. So it's just like — you got to get some shots up. I do it in the summertime, and I'm straight. And I just get away from it."

Robinson added: "Like I said before, when I was getting up shots, rookie year, I was 60 percent. So if I get shots up, everything will be alright. Until then, it is what it is."

Robinson may not fare well at the free throw line, but he's tremendous in other areas of the game, including his rebounding (particularly on the offensive glass), defense and energy off the bench. He's a tremendous asset for a third-place Knicks team striving for its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999 and first championship since 1973.

As an example, Robinson went 0-for-3 from the line on Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs, but the Knicks were plus-10 in his 15 minutes as he contributed four points, five rebounds, a steal and a block in a 114-89 win.

New York will look to extend its winning streak to three on Tuesday at the Toronto Raptors.