How many free throws does Stephen Curry have?

Stephen Curry is considered one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. His ability to shoot the basketball from incredible distances with stunning accuracy has made him a household name. One area where Curry excels is shooting free throws. So how many free throws has Stephen Curry made over the course of his NBA career?

Quick Answer

As of the 2022-2023 NBA season, Stephen Curry has made 5,717 free throws over 849 regular season games played. This gives him an average of 6.7 made free throws per game for his career. In the playoffs, Curry has made 721 free throws over 133 playoff games, averaging 5.4 made free throws per playoff game.

Looking at the Numbers

Let’s break down Curry’s free throw numbers in more detail:

  • In the 2009-2010 regular season, his rookie year, Curry made 205 free throws out of 245 attempts, shooting 83.7% from the line.
  • The next season, he made 272 free throws out of 306 attempts, shooting 88.9% on free throws.
  • In the 2011-2012 season, the shortened lockout year, Curry made 260 free throws out of 280 attempts, shooting 92.9% from the line.

As Curry’s career progressed, he continued to shoot free throws at an elite percentage while also attempting more free throws as he took on a larger offensive role for the Warriors. Some career free throw milestones for Curry include:

  • In the 2014-2015 season, Curry made 525 free throws, the first time eclipsing 500 made free throws in a season.
  • The next year, Curry set a new career high with 590 made free throws in the 2015-2016 season.
  • Curry broke his own record in the 2018-2019 season with 641 made free throws.
  • In the 2020-2021 season, Curry made 619 free throws, his second highest total.

For his career, Curry has shot 91.6% from the free throw line. He has led the NBA in free throw percentage four times – in 2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2018-19 seasons. His precision and consistency at the foul line have made him one of the best free throw shooters the league has ever seen.

Career Regular Season and Playoff Numbers

Here is a full breakdown of Stephen Curry’s career regular season and playoff free throw makes:

Season Regular Season FTs Made Playoff FTs Made
2009-10 205 37
2010-11 272 51
2011-12 260 18
2012-13 356 58
2013-14 424 49
2014-15 525 73
2015-16 590 68
2016-17 474 69
2017-18 437 41
2018-19 641 86
2019-20 337 26
2020-21 619 73
2021-22 431 63
2022-23 168 (through 51 games) N/A
Career 5,717 721

As the table shows, Curry has been both consistent and prolific when it comes to knocking down free throws in both the regular season and playoffs. He makes nearly as many foul shots in the postseason despite the shorter schedule, shooting about 87.5% on playoff free throws for his career compared to 91.6% in regular season play.

Notable Free Throw Milestones

In addition to ranking among the NBA’s career leaders in free throw percentage, Curry has passed some significant milestones in total made free throws over his exceptional career:

  • 2,000th career made free throw – Curry hit this milestone midway through the 2013-2014 season.
  • 3,000th career made free throw – Curry reached 3,000 career made free throws early in the 2016-2017 season.
  • 4,000th career made free throw – Curry joined the 4,000 career made free throws club early in the 2018-2019 season.
  • 5,000th career made free throw – In March 2021 against the Houston Rockets, Curry hit his 5,000th career regular season free throw.
  • 5,717 career made free throws – Curry’s current career total through the 2022-2023 season.

Barring injury, Curry will likely continue ascending the NBA’s all-time lists for total free throws made. He currently ranks third among active players in career free throws made behind only James Harden and Russell Westbrook. By continuing to shoot a high volume of free throws at an elite percentage, Curry could end up in the top 20 all-time in made free throws before his career is over.

How Curry’s Free Throw Shooting Compares with Other NBA Legends

Throughout NBA history, some of the game’s greatest scorers have also excelled at the free throw line. How does Steph Curry’s free throw prowess compare with other legends?

Michael Jordan – Jordan is the NBA’s career leader in free throw attempts with 7,327. He made 6,146 of those tries for a career free throw percentage of 83.5%. Curry has been the more efficient foul shooter, but Jordan got to the line more and finished with more makes.

Larry Bird – Bird converted 6,206 free throws out of 7,145 career attempts, good for an excellent percentage of 86.8%. Curry’s career percentage edges Bird’s, and he should pass Bird’s makes total soon.

Steve Nash – Nash was a 90.4% career free throw shooter compared to Curry’s 91.6%. But Curry already has almost 1,000 more makes than Nash’s total of 3,384.

Reggie Miller – Miller made 6,237 free throws for his career while shooting 88.8% from the stripe. Curry surpassed Miller’s makes mark in 2021 and has been the more efficient foul shooter of the two.

Dirk Nowitzki – Nowitzki shot 87.9% on free throws for his career and ended with 6,217 makes. Curry eclipsed Nowitzki’s total makes in the 2020-2021 season and has shot free throws at a higher clip.

While Curry may not be the NBA’s all-time leader in free throws made or attempted, his accuracy ranks right up there with the sharpest shooters in league history. When you combine his efficiency with volume and consistency, there’s an argument to be made for Curry being the greatest free throw shooter the game has seen.

Breaking Down Curry’s Free Throw Shooting Form

Curry’s mastery of the free throw is due both to his natural accuracy and consistency in his shooting form. When you break down his free throw shooting mechanics, several keys stand out:

  • Fluid motion – Curry uses a smooth, continuous shooting motion without hitches from start to finish.
  • Perfect arc – He gets excellent arc on the ball, with the ideal 45 degree angle of entry into the basket.
  • Elbow in – Curry keeps his shooting elbow in, pointed at the rim, for ideal alignment.
  • Follow through – He holds his follow through with fingertips pointing down until the ball swishes the net.
  • Consistent pre-shot routine – Before every free throw attempt, Curry goes through the same series of dribbles, spins, and deep breaths to get in rhythm.

Curry has clearly put thousands of hours of practice into honing every minute detail of his free throw shooting form. That mastery of the basics allows him to step to the foul line in any situation and smoothly drain shots at an incredibly high rate.

Curry’s Free Throw Shooting in Crunch Time

While it’s one thing to convert free throws in an empty gym, it’s quite another to step to the line in crunch time of a close game with the outcome on the line. But this is another area where Stephen Curry thrives.

According to NBA Advanced Stats, Curry has shot 90.5% from the free throw line in the last five minutes of the 4th quarter and overtime in close games over his entire career. Near the end of close playoff games, his percentage rises to an astounding 92.9%.

Some examples of Curry’s crunch time free throw heroics include:

  • Hitting two game-icing free throws in Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals to clinch his 4th title.
  • Draining two clutch free throws to force overtime in Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals.
  • Going 13-for-13 at the line in Game 2 of the 2015 NBA Finals while carrying the Warriors with 37 points.

Curry’s ability to calmly step to the line and drain free throw after free throw, even when the pressure is at its peak, is what separates the true superstars from the rest of the pack. His free throw excellence in clutch moments has played a major role in the Warriors’ championship runs.

Impact of Curry’s Free Throw Shooting on His Scoring

Given Curry’s renowned three-point shooting, it’s easy to overlook his prowess from the charity stripe. But his free throw efficiency has played a subtle yet crucial role in making him one of the greatest scorers the NBA has ever seen.

For his career, 8.5% of Curry’s 30,561 total points have come at the free throw line. That’s over 2,600 points just from free throws. And he’s achieved that excellent free throw production while attempting just 5.9 free throws per game for his career, a relatively modest number for a high-volume scorer.

In recent years, Curry has become even more dominant scoring inside the three-point arc by getting to the rim more frequently and drawing fouls in the act of shooting. He set a career high last season by averaging 6.3 free throw attempts and has focused on getting to the stripe more often late in his career.

Curry’s overall field goal percentage receives a nice boost thanks to his excellent foul shooting. Some all-time great scorers have shot just 75-80% on free throws, but Curry’s career 91.6% shooting gives his efficiency an extra leg up.

Conclusion

Stephen Curry’s incredible shooting range and ballhandling creativity may grab the most attention, but his free throw prowess is an equally historic part of his game. The sheer quantity of made free throws over his career puts Curry in the conversation with all-time greats like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Reggie Miller.

But when you combine Curry’s volume of makes with his historic shooting percentages from the foul line, there is a strong argument that he is the single most accomplished free throw shooter in the history of the NBA. His total of over 5,700 made free throws and career 91.6% shooting percentage from the line may never be matched.

Free throws alone don’t make Curry one of the most feared and dominant scorers ever to play the game. But his flawless foul shooting is part of the complete, well-rounded offensive arsenal that makes him virtually unstoppable when he has the ball in his hands. It is yet another reason why Curry has led a golden era of Warriors basketball resulting in four NBA titles and transformed the game of basketball across the globe.

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