Official statistics are, as we’ve been known to point out, circumscribed in their applicability. By imposing necessary but ultimately arbitrary criteria for inclusion, they tend to minimize the role played by those who make the most of limited opportunity.
Thus, because five of the nine most accurate free throw shooters returning this season did not attempt 2.5 foul shots per game in 2015, they failed to qualify among the official leaders.
We note their achievements here to better appreciate their potential contributions in 2016. Take the case of Tar Heel guard Nate Britt, a diminutive junior with the job security of a teacher assistant in a North Carolina public school.