In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court (the free throw line; informally known as the foul line or sometimes charity stripe), and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team. Each successful free throw is worth one point, and sometimes more than one is awarded. Free throws can normally be made at a high percentage by good players.

In the NBA, most players make between 70% and 80% of their attempts. Some good shooters (such as José Calderón, Rick Barry, and Ray Allen) can make as many as 90%-94%, while notoriously poor shooters (e.g. Shaquille O'Neal or Ben Wallace) may struggle to make 50% of them. Tall players often shoot free throws poorly, though theoretically taller players should be better at making them.

One possible explanation for this is that the high release point of their shots can cause them to stand overly erect. Basketball Hall of Fame member Wilt Chamberlain made just 51.1% of his free-throw attempts, one of the lowest percentages of all time, and the poor free throw shooting of players such as O'Neal, Wallace, and Tim Duncan have led to the 'Hack-a-Shaq' and other intentional fouling tactics. On the other hand, there have also been big men who have been prolific scorers from free throws.

There are many situations when free throws can be awarded:

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