The Los Angeles Lakers might have found one of the most athletic players in this year’s draft class, but rookie center William Kyle III is going viral for all the wrong reasons.

During the NBA Summer League, fans couldn’t stop talking about Kyle’s weird free-throw routine, with social media dubbing it the “Kamehameha shot,” largely due to its resemblance to the two-handed energy blast from the Dragon Ball Z series.

It’s definitely one of the most unconventional shooting forms fans have seen in years.

William Kyle’s awkward looking shooting free throw form (with a replay).

HORRIBLE pic.twitter.com/rthd6CBsBh

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) July 11, 2026

Unlike a traditional free throw, where the shooting hand generates the power, and the guide hand stabilizes the ball, Kyle shoots the basketball from his chest using both hands. Instead of a smooth flick and a high-arcing release, the ball is pushed like a chest pass toward the rim.

And his follow-through is equally bizarre. Both arms are extended toward the basketball with little to no wrist action, giving the shot a stiff look and very little backspin. The result is a flat trajectory that has drawn plenty of attention from fans and analysts.

The viral clip has generated plenty of jokes online, and it remains the biggest challenge for the Lakers rookie.

At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and a 44-inch vertical leap, he is the modern NBA rim runner that teams covet.  That’s how he built his college career. After starting out at South Dakota State, he became one of the nation’s best defensive players. Kyle then went to UCLA before heading to Syracuse for his senior year.

At Syracuse, he started all 32 games while averaging 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game, shooting 66.1% from the field, with a majority of his baskets coming on dunks, putbacks, and finishes around the rim.

But the problem is everywhere else. In four college seasons, playing 131 games in total, Kyle never attempted a three-pointer.

And his free-throw shooting is equally worrying. Last season at Syracuse, he converted just 49.1% of his foul shots, and he finished his college career at 54.4%. His only season at UCLA was even rougher, where he shot just 39% from the line.

These numbers explain why his shooting form has been such a big talking point.

For NBA teams, poor free-throw shooting isn’t just an aesthetic issue; it can become a strategic weakness. Centers who shoot below 50% are vulnerable to intentional fouling late in games, bringing back the “Hack-a-Shaq” strategy that has affected several dominant big men over the years.

Luckily for Kyle, every other part of his game fits today’s NBA. He is a vertical lob threat and fierce shot blocker. And his mobility allows him to switch onto smaller players, which made him one of college basketball’s best interior defenders.

Those traits earned him an Exhibit 10 contract with the Lakers after the NBA draft and a chance to play during the Summer League.

If the Lakers can improve his mechanics and make him a respectable free-throw shooter, Kyle has all the tools to earn an NBA role. But for now, his free-throw routine is one of the most talked-about moments in the Summer League.