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Could a small change help Utah’s Jakob Poeltl improve his free throw numbers?

Jakob Poeltl, Jordan McLaughlin

Utah forward Jakob Poeltl (42) brings in a loose ball as Southern California guard Jordan McLaughlin (11) watches during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Jan. 2, 2015, in Salt Lake City. Utah won 79-55. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

AP

Utah sophomore center Jakob Poeltl is a potential top-10 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft if he has another good season for the Utes, but he was very weak in one key area last season. The 7-foot native of Austria was an early force as a freshman last season and shot 68 percent from the floor for a Sweet 16 team, but he was only 44 percent from the charity stripe.

For a center like Poeltl, who is going to draw a lot of fouls, 44 percent is just asking opposing teams for a “hack-a-player” scenario at the end of a half.

But according to a story from Kyle Goon of the Salt Lake Tribune, Poeltl had his eyes examined during the summer and he’s wearing contact lenses again. Could this be the type of change that helps Poeltl see the basket a bit better?

The game is also easier when you can see the court clearly.

Poeltl got his eyes examined during the Nike camp, where he learned his left eye was weaker than his right. He used to wear contacts several years back, and decided to get them again this summer.

The difference is nearly imperceptible to him day-to-day. But he believes it’s helped his depth perception. The basket seems easier to gauge, and his shots seem to be going in more.



It’s hard to say if this small change will help Poeltl see the basket better and help him make more free throws, but if he can, that’s a scary thought. Draft Express currently rates Poeltl as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and he averaged 9.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in only 23.3 minutes per game last season. If improves his free-throw percentage even by a few points, it’ll be a big improvement in his game.