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.
