Jermaine O’Neal Takes Incredibly (and Illegally) Long To Shoot Free Throws

Jermaine O’Neal Takes Incredibly (and Illegally) Long To Shoot Free Throws

Brooklyn Nets announcers Ryan Ruocco and Mike Fratello were incredulous about Jermaine O’Neal’s free throw shooting, and the video shows they had every reason to be.

In the Nets’ 93-86 loss to the Golden State Warriors, O’Neal took longer than Joe Johnson during the three-point shootout to take his free throws.

The NBA rules specifically dictate that players can only take ten seconds to shoot a free throw, and O’Neal whizzes (sleepstands?) right past that. The first took at least 11 seconds (0:04-0:15), the second 13 seconds (0:40-0:53), and the third 13 seconds (1:13-1:26). It’s obvious to anyone with a pulse and a clock, and around the one-minute mark, you can hear Ruocco and Fratello count down incredulously.

The Nets deservedly lost this game — there’s no excuse for giving up a 23-13 game to 35-year-old Jermaine O’Neal — but that’s also three obvious points added on the board in a close game, which result in free throw violations getting called against the wrong team.