British NBA rookie Jeremy Sochan has been compared to the legendary Dennis Rodman after he took free throws using just one arm.
Sochan has been compared to Rodman before - and it is fairly easy to see why. During the Spurs’ 124-105 victory over the Houston Rockets, Sochan rocked green hair in a similar style to the former Chicago Bulls star.
Sochan’s hair is a lighter shade of green compared to Rodman’s, but the resemblance was almost uncanny. The comparisons between the two began back when Sochan’s jersey number was confirmed to be no.10 - the same worn by Rodman during his spell in San Antonio.
The British-Pole was selected ninth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft and has developed a reputation for changing his hair colour at will. During his short career, Sochan has already been seen sporting blue, pink, blonde and red hair.
He added green to his repertoire recently, which has led to the latest round of comparisons between him and Rodman. Sochan’s style of play is also similar to Rodman’s, with an emphasis placed on the defensive aspects of the game compared to his offensive output, although the free throw technique was another throwback.
Sochan has impressed so far during his rookie campaign, making 21 starts in the Spurs’ first 30 games. He has showcased plenty of talent across his performances, although he has struggled from the free throw line - and it came to the fore against the Rockets.
Prior to Monday’s game, the forward was shooting just 45.8% from 24 attempts, which is perhaps why he Sochan began shooting with one arm. Perhaps the odd technique will inspire an improvement in his free throw percentage a la Rick Barry, who attempted an underhanded, two-handed method en route to a 90% career mark.
It is not unusual for players to shoot free throws one-handed in practice as they train off-hand guidance, but it is odd to see it in a professional game. The Spurs coaching staff may have even advised him to try the method out in an attempt to remedy his struggles.
Sochan has struggled to shoot the ball early in his career as he sports a 17.4% three-point record, and he has just six points combined in his last two games. However, he showcased his offensive potential before his quad contusion injury last month, tallying seven double-digit scoring games en route to a season average of 7.6 points to go with four rebounds and 2.1 assists.
The 10-20 Spurs face the New Orleans Pelicans in their next clash on Thursday night.
