You have your feet in balance, at shoulder width and parallel to each other. You know that your knees are going to provide the thrust and that you grab the rim after you shoot, and you're visualizing how big that hoop is: twice as big as the basketball. You can add your own routine at the beginning: dribble one, two, or three times, talk to the ball, anything.

When it came to free throws, Adrian Dantley, who was an All-American while playing at Notre Dame, had a distinct preshot ritual. Massaging the ball close to his chest, Adrian would repeat the following mantra: "Over the rim, backspin, follow through." That little reminder helped Dantley shoot 81.8 percent from the line for his 15 years in the NBA.

No matter what your system of dribbles before a free throw (Kris Johnson takes three), take a deep breath. Suck it in and let it out. This relaxes your body — a requisite when a gym full of lunatics are screaming at you and the folks behind the backboard are waving balloons in an attempt to distract you.

If you relax your shooting arm, you have a better chance of making the shot. If you shoot like a stiff board, you're going to catapult the shot, not shoot it.

Now simply aim for the top of the front of the rim. Just get it over the rim — that's what you should be thinking (along with how big that rim is). You don't necessarily look at the square on the backboard, although doing so helps you keep your arm straight and have that all-important accuracy. But look over the rim; get it on top of the rim.

The ball rests loosely in your hand. Your palm does not touch it; your fingertips control the shot. Hold the ball at waist level with both hands, take your deep breath, and then lift it up, aim, and shoot.