List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career free throw scoring leaders

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Tyler Hansbrough made an NCAA-record 982 free throws. Hansbrough retirement.jpg
Tyler Hansbrough made an NCAA-record 982 free throws.

In basketball, a free throw is "an opportunity given to a player to score one (1) point, uncontested, from position behind the free throw line and inside the semicircle." [1] The National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I is the highest level of amateur basketball in the United States. The NCAA did not split into its current divisions format until August 1973. [2] From 1906 to 1955, there were no classifications to the NCAA nor its predecessor, the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS). [2] Then, from 1956 to spring 1973, colleges were classified as either "NCAA University Division (Major College)" or "NCAA College Division (Small College)". [2]

Contents

The all-time leader in NCAA free throws made is Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina. [3] [4] From 2005–06 through 2008–09, Hansbrough made 982 free throws, surpassing the 54-year-old record of 905 that was held by Wake Forest's Dickie Hemric. [3] [5] While Hansbrough's free throw percentage (79.1%) is better than Hemric's (66.6%), Hemric accomplished the feat in only 104 career games played compared to Hansbrough's 142.

Five players on this list are Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees: Pete Maravich, [6] Oscar Robertson, [7] Bill Bradley [8] Joe Dumars, [9] and Alonzo Mourning. [10] Some players on this list, such as those whose career games played is below 100, played college basketball during the era before freshmen were allowed to play varsity basketball, and were instead allowed to play freshman or junior varsity basketball only. Their free throw makes and attempts could have been significantly higher had they played an additional season.

George Washington University is the only school that has multiple members on the top 25 all-time free throws made list: Chris Monroe (719) [11] and Joe Holup (714). [12] Only one player in the top 25 split his college career between two different schools. Steve Rogers, who scored 713 free throws between 1988 and 1992, attended Middle Tennessee before transferring to Alabama State.

Key

Top 25 career free throw leaders

Bill Bradley played at Princeton and is also in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Bill Bradley NYWTS (cropped2).jpg
Bill Bradley played at Princeton and is also in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Alonzo Mourning of Georgetown made 771 free throws. Alonzo Mourning.jpg
Alonzo Mourning of Georgetown made 771 free throws.

All teams are listed under their current athletic brand names, which do not always match those in use when a listed player was active.

PlayerPos.TeamGames
played
Career startCareer endFTMFTAFT%Ref.
Tyler Hansbrough F North Carolina 142 2005 2009 982124179.1 [4]
Dickie Hemric C Wake Forest 104 1951 1955 905135966.6 [5]
Pete Maravich *G LSU 83 1967 1970 893115277.5 [13]
Oscar Robertson *G/F Cincinnati 88 1957 1960 869111478.0 [14]
Caleb Green F Oral Roberts 128 2003 2007 852113475.1 [15]
Don Schlundt C Indiana 94 1951 1955 826107676.8 [16]
Troy Bell G Boston College 122 1999 2003 81093386.8 [17]
Bill Bradley *F/G Princeton 83 1962 1965 79190387.6 [18]
Mike Daum F South Dakota State 136 2015 2019 78692784.8 [19]
Alonzo Mourning *C Georgetown 120 1988 1992 771100375.4 [20]
Derrick Chievous F Missouri 130 1984 1988 76496379.3 [21]
Eddie Benton G Vermont 104 1992 1996 73989182.9 [22]
Chris Clemons G Campbell 130 2015 2019 73386085.2 [23]
Howie Crittenden G Murray State 104 1952 1956 731104170.2 [24]
Tyler Haws G BYU 139 2009 2015 [25] 72482088.3 [26]
Joe Dumars *G McNeese 116 1981 1985 72391778.8 [27]
Malcolm Delaney G Virginia Tech 136 2007 2011 72185384.5 [28]
Chris Monroe G George Washington 118 1999 2003 71995575.3 [11]
Joe Holup F George Washington (2)104 1952 1956 71496174.3 [12]
Terry Dischinger G/F Purdue 70 1959 1962 71387181.9 [3]
Christian Laettner F/C Duke 148 1988 1992 71388580.6 [29]
Steve Rogers G/F Middle Tennessee  /
Alabama State
113 1988 1992 71395574.7 [11]
Don MacLean F/C UCLA 127 1988 1992 71182786.0 [30]
Michael Anderson G Drexel 115 1984 1988 70595873.6 [31]
Byron Houston F Oklahoma State 127 1988 1992 69895772.9 [32]

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