Derrick Rose attempted a paltry 2.7 free throws per game last year in Chicago, the lowest figure of his career. The low FTA number is especially alarming because Rose is an athletic, attacking guard when he’s at his best. In 2011, the year Rose was the NBA MVP, he attempted 6.9 free throws per game — making them at 86%. Rose averaged exactly five minutes less per game last year than in 2011, dropping to 31.8 from 36.8 minutes, but the minutes discrepancy isn’t big enough to account for the huge free throw difference.
Rose’s FT attempts simply aren’t enough for a big time guard, especially one who’s meant to score as well as distribute. By way of comparison Rose’s new cross-borough counterpart at point guard, Brooklyn’s Jeremy Lin, averaged 3.7 free throw attempts last season coming off the bench in Charlotte, where he played just 26.3 minutes per game. Rose’s New York Knicks success will in part depend on the explosive guard being able to get to the line. Derrick Rose free throw attempts: it’s a New York Knicks stat to watch.
