Joe Dykstra is the leading scorer in school history, a 2-time conference POY, and a 3-time All-American. However, what he is most known for is free throw shooting. Back in 1982 he scored 32 points in a win over Eastern Kentucky and broke the NCAA record for most consecutive FTs when he made his 64th in a row to break the record set by Bob Lloyd of Rutgers in 1967. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Joe about being a great FT shooter and playing pro basketball. Today marks the 40th anniversary of Joe’s record-breaking performance on January 4, 1982 so we take this time to celebrate his awesome accomplishment.
Why did you decide to attend Western Illinois? I am from Des Moines, IA, so I was interested in staying in the Midwest but my top 4-5 choices decided to offer scholarships to other players.
You got to play a few years with your older brother JD: what kind of relationship do you have with him, and who was the better player? My brother and I have remained close: we live only a couple of miles away from each other in California. We each say that the other 1 was better!
You were a 4-time 1st-team All Mid-Con performer: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start, and how were you able to continue to dominate throughout your college career? I had hoped to go to a Big 8/Big 10 school but it did not happen so I showed up at Western Illinois with a chip on my shoulder. I got to play right away and continued to work hard: some early success showed me that I should work even harder to become even better. We made the transition to D-1 and it ended up becoming a really good fit for me.
You were a 2-time conference POY/3-time All-American: what did it mean to you to win such outstanding honors? The best way for me to answer that question is to focus on the central theme of having a chip on my shoulder. Every college player thinks that he can end up in the NBA someday. Back in those days there was not a lot of AAU basketball so college was my 1st exposure to a lot of great players from around the country. The awards were irrelevant to me back then: I never viewed myself as 1 of the better players in the country. If I was POY in a league like the Big 10 then it would have meant a lot more to me.
In 1982 you set a then-D-1 record by making 64 consecutive FTs: how were you able to maintain your focus for such a long stretch of games, and what is your secret for FT shooting? I figured out that I could not easily measure up to the big-time teams in most categories, but FT shooting is more or less the same wherever you play so I decided that I would do something that I could compare favorably in. Other folks were more athletic than me but I practiced FTs a lot and would not leave until I made 100(!) in a row. It is just about practicing them as if it was a game situation and then lots of repetition. Broadcasters often complain about players who cannot make FTs: I think it is just because it is not exciting to stand in a gym and practice them enough.
In 1983 you scored a D-1-era-school-record 37 PTS vs. Eastern Illinois: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? In team sports when you have a big game you need a special type of game plan: EIU was an important game on our schedule. I was a little less bashful when we had those kinds of games and just tried to do whatever the team needed. I recall making a lot of FTs that night.
You graduated as a career 88.5 FT% shooter, which was 8th-best in D-1 history: did you realize at the time how prolific a shooter you were? There was some personal pleasure to end up so high on that list: when I look back on what I did it gives me some satisfaction. I liked to work (both now and as a kid) to make myself as good as I could be.
In the summer of 1983 you were drafted by Phoenix: were you thrilled to realize your dream of getting drafted, or disappointed that you did not make the team, or something else? Like a lot of things in life it was a big disappointment at the time…but as the years go by I think it was just cool to get drafted. The Suns blew up their team the following year after a scandal so I wish that I would have entered the draft the following year (in 1984). Everyone in the NBA is taller and more athletic so in hindsight it was a practical impossibility. I was actually lucky that I did not make it: the money was not good and my real estate business has become pretty successful. I have zero regrets but I do not watch a lot of basketball these days.
You played pro basketball abroad for several years: what did you learn from this experience, and how did it compare to college basketball? I played in France/Australia/England. With the exception of Italy/Spain there was no money for players in Europe but that has changed a lot. There were a bunch of good players in the French League and some of the Europeans were overlooked at that time. Our coach was Loyd King, who had played in the ABA. What you learn quickly is that there are not a lot of well-paying jobs so every extra day in Europe delays the launch of your post-basketball life. There were a couple of good teams in England but it was not a great league so I ran out of good reasons to play. My personal goal growing up was to play in the NBA so I did not just want to get paid to play in another league. I am glad that I did it and would encourage everyone to do it if they want to chase their dream.
When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? I have been back to campus a few times and have always enjoyed that people remember me for my work ethic and getting as much out of my God-given talents as I possibly could. If I could make as many FTs in a row as I did, then I proved to myself that I could have played almost anywhere and contributed.