In basketball, a free throw is an unopposed attempt to score points from behind the free throw line. The National Basketball Association's (NBA) free throw percentage leader is the player with the highest free throw percentage in a given season. To qualify as a free throw percentage leader, the player must have at least 125 free throws made. Aside from the strike shortened 1998–99 NBA season and 2011–12 NBA season, this has been the entry criteria since the 1974–75 NBA season.
José Calderón holds the record for best free throw percentage in a season, which he accomplished with the Toronto Raptors in the 2008–09 NBA season with 98.05%, missing only 3 free throws that season making 151 of his 154 total free throw attempts.
Bill Sharman has led the league in free throw percentage a record seven times. Rick Barry has led the league six times, while Reggie Miller and Stephen Curry have each done it five times. Larry Bird has led the league six times. Mark Price and Dolph Schayes have each done it three times. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Larry Costello, Ernie DiGregorio, Bob Feerick, Kyle Macy, Calvin Murphy, Steve Nash, Oscar Robertson, Larry Siegfried and Peja Stojaković have each done it two times.
Key ^Denotes player who is still active in the NBA*Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame†Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame considerationPlayer (X)Denotes the number of times the player had been thefree throw percentage leader up to and including that seasonGGuardFForwardCCenter
Annual leaders SeasonPlayerPositionTeamGamesplayedFree throws madeFree throws attemptedFree throw %Ref.GWashington Capitols5814618081.11F/GWashington Capitols4818924078.75 (2)F/GWashington Capitols5825629885.91G/FChicago Stags6832138184.25*FPhiladelphia Warriors6637844285.52*GRochester Royals6637741790.41*GBoston Celtics7134140185.04* (2)GBoston Celtics7233139284.44* (3)GBoston Celtics6834738789.66* (4)GBoston Celtics7235841386.68* (5)GBoston Celtics6738142190.50*F/CSyracuse Nationals7262969690.37* (6)GBoston Celtics7234236793.19* (2)F/CSyracuse Nationals7553359789.28* (7)GBoston Celtics6121022892.11* (3) F/CSyracuse Nationals5628631989.66GSyracuse Nationals7828832788.07*GCincinnati Royals7980093885.29 (2)GPhiladelphia 76ers6424327787.73FBoston Celtics7127431188.10GCincinnati Royals8134338090.26* (2)GCincinnati Royals6557666087.27 (2)FBoston Celtics7933638986.38GMilwaukee Bucks8143948989.78*F/GChicago Bulls8148055985.87F/GBaltimore Bullets7835639889.45*FGolden State Warriors8235839790.18GBuffalo Braves8117419390.16* (2)FGolden State Warriors8039443690.37* (3)FGolden State Warriors8128731192.28 (2)GBuffalo Braves8113814694.52* (4)FGolden State Warriors8237840992.42* (5)FHouston Rockets8016016994.67* (6)FHouston Rockets7214315393.46*GHouston Rockets7620621595.81GPhoenix Suns8215216989.94* (2)GHouston Rockets6413815092.00*FBoston Celtics7937442188.84 (2)GPhoenix Suns6512714090.71* (2)FBoston Celtics8244149289.63* (3)FBoston Celtics7441445590.99C/FMilwaukee Bucks8232134892.24*GLos Angeles Lakers7751356391.12* (4)FBoston Celtics7531934393.00*GIndiana Pacers8255160091.83GCleveland Cavaliers7227028594.74 (2)GCleveland Cavaliers7528930594.75GDenver Nuggets8021922995.63GSacramento Kings7622624293.39 (2)GDenver Nuggets5714615792.99 (3)GGolden State Warriors7015517190.64*GIndiana Pacers8215416493.90* (2)GIndiana Pacers5022624791.50GUtah Jazz7717118095.00* (3)GIndiana Pacers8132334892.82* (4)GIndiana Pacers7929632591.08GNew York Knicks8236339591.90FSacramento Kings8139442592.71* (5)GIndiana Pacers6625026893.28*GPhoenix Suns7925727992.11G/FPhiladelphia 76ers7419120991.39 (2)FNew Orleans Hornets7713014092.86GToronto Raptors6815115498.05* (2)GPhoenix Suns8121122593.78^GGolden State Warriors7421222793.39GPortland Trail Blazers6019120692.72^FOklahoma City Thunder8167975090.53GNew Orleans Pelicans7212513393.98^ (2)GGolden State Warriors8030833791.39^ (3)GGolden State Warriors7936340090.75^GPortland Trail Blazers8026829491.16^ (4)GGolden State Warriors5127830292.05GMilwaukee Bucks6414115292.76GBoston Celtics7112613692.65†GPhoenix Suns7016918193.37^GGolden State Warriors7624626692.48^GMiami Heat6717018293.41^GGolden State Warriors7712713792.70^ (5)GGolden State Warriors5127929993.31^GMemphis Grizzlies7212613494.03
Multiple-time leaders RankPlayerTeamTimes leaderYears1Bill SharmanBoston Celtics7, , , , , , 2Rick BarryGolden State Warriors (4) / Houston Rockets (2)6, , , , , 3Stephen CurryGolden State Warriors5, , , , Reggie MillerIndiana Pacers, , , , 5Larry BirdBoston Celtics4, , , 6Mark PriceCleveland Cavaliers (2) / Golden State Warriors (1)3, , Dolph SchayesSyracuse Nationals, , 8Mahmoud Abdul-RaufDenver Nuggets2, Larry CostelloSyracuse Nationals (1) / Philadelphia 76ers (1), Ernie DiGregorioBuffalo Braves, Bob FeerickWashington Capitols, Kyle MacyPhoenix Suns, Calvin MurphyHouston Rockets, Steve NashPhoenix Suns, Oscar RobertsonCincinnati Royals, Larry SiegfriedBoston Celtics, Peja StojakovićSacramento Kings (1) / New Orleans Hornets (1),
See also NBA records List of NBA career free throw percentage leaders List of NBA career free throw scoring leaders List of NBA annual 3-point field goal percentage leaders List of NBA annual field goal percentage leaders List of NBA annual scoring leaders List of NBA annual 3-point scoring leaders List of NBA annual assists leaders List of NBA annual rebounding leaders List of NBA annual steals leaders List of NBA annual blocks leaders
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References General
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