When does the ball become dead on a free throw?

The ball becomes dead on a free throw after it hits the floor. This is consistent with NFHS basketball rules, which dictate that once the ball has touched the floor, it's no longer in play. When a free throw is attempted, the action continues until the ball has completed its flight, and that includes if it makes contact with the floor. By this point, no further action can occur until the next live ball situation is established, such as retrieving the ball after the free throw action is resolved.

The other choices describe situations that do not result in the ball becoming dead. When the player takes the shot, the ball is still live and in play until it has either gone through the hoop, hit the rim, or landed on the floor. Touching the rim does not stop play; the ball remains live until it touches the floor. Similarly, just because the ball leaves the shooter's hand does not mean that it is dead; it remains in play until it hits the floor. Thus, the key moment, as outlined in the rules, is when the ball first makes contact with the floor.