By Stelios Toromanidis/ info@eurohoops.net
The American “pocket-sized” center made his introduction in the EuroLeague as a player for Bamberg in the 2010-11 season, established himself as one of the top players in the colors of Olympiacos in the two years from 2011 to 2013, when he won as many EuroLeague trophies, and now is a key element of CSKA Moscow.
As the Reds’ fans will recall from his stint in Greece, one of Hines’s few disadvantages was his mediocre performance from the charity stripe. His percentages did not exceed 60%, he usually scored one of his two attempts whenever he tried his luck from 5,5 meters, and he was one of those players the opponents preferred to send to the free throw line.
Whoever thinks that the European champion is still lagging behind in this category is thoroughly misguided, as evidenced clearly by his stats. It seems that the Russian team’s dynamic big man has spent many hours working on his shot from the foul line, with his improvement being impressive and worthy of note.
40,1% rise in his accuracy from the free throw line!
Since his first season in the EuroLeague with Bamberg, when he was 46,7% from the free throw line, he has been improving every year and, as a result, this season he’s been shooting with the excellent 86,8%! This kind of improvement in a player is rare, especially a center. To use an example, Kyle Hines started out with Shaquille O’Neal’s percentages and is now approaching Nando De Colo’s.
Kyle Hines’s astonishing improvement in free throws:
| Season | Team | Free throws | Percentage (%) |
| 2010-2011 | Bamberg | 21/45 | 46,7% |
| 2011-2012 | Olympiacos | 53/92 | 57,6% |
| 2012-2013 | Olympiacos | 54/92 | 58,7% |
| 2013-2014 | CSKA Moscow | 39/57 | 68,4% |
| 2014-2015 | CSKA Moscow | 45/66 | 68,2% |
| 2015-2016 | CSKA Moscow | 73/111 | 65,8% |
| 2016-2017 | CSKA Moscow | 85/121 | 70.2% |
| 2017-2018 | CSKA Moscow | 33/38 | 86,8% |
| Total | 403/622 | 64.8% |
| Position | Player | Free throws | Percentage (%) |
| 1 | Nando De Colo | 43/46 | 93.5% |
| 2 | Sergio Rodriguez | 19/21 | 90,5% |
| 3 | Kyle Hines | 33/38 | 86,8% |
| 4 | Cory Higgins | 20/25 | 80% |
| 5 | Will Clyburn | 37/58 | 63,8% |