- Hey guys, I'm Steven, and I'm a huge NBA fan.
But, one thing I don't get is how some of the best players
in the world, just can't hit their free throws consistently.
Is it really that hard, or are they are they just
not practicing hard enough?
I wanted to find out.
So, I decided to see how good I could get
if I practiced free throws every day for one month.
So yeah, today we're talkin' about practice.
So, the first thing I need to do, find out how good I am
right now, with no practice.
Free throw number one, wow, seems a lot farther,
now that I'm actually standing here.
One for one, I made 37 shots out of 100.
That's bad, that's like DeAndre Jordan bad.
I needed help, so I decided to see
a professional shooting coach, here in Los Angeles.
I hear you can teach me how to shoot like Seth Curry.
- I'll try, first of all let me evaluate your shot and see
what you're -- - It's perfect already.
- It's perfect, okay. - [Steve] But I can show you.
Left foot to the basket, and give it
that Kevin Durant shake.
- Okay, it went in, but did it go in the right way?
That's what we want to know.
- How can it not go in the right way?
- Okay, go ahead and set your feet on the line,
left foot straight, right toe down and out.
Okay, set your hands, okay, off your waist.
Drop and lift.
Okay, next shot, ball's above your waist more, higher.
Drop lower, lift higher.
Same thing, feet are set, aim for the shot clock
on the next shot, that's about 45 degrees.
Okay, on the next shot, lift the ball higher and release
the ball quicker with your hand, focus on your hand.
Above your waist, that's it, legs first.
Now, lift, wait, wait, keep those arms up there
when you finish, when you release,
count to two, one, two.
Let the ball leave, drop, lift, and wait, that's it, good.
Wait, wait, wait, flawless.
- Yo, do think I could be in the NBA?
- No.
- So, now that I have dominated the art of the free throw,
it was time to practice, 400 shots a day,
for 30 days straight.
After that, I would then challenge WNBA All Star,
and first overall pick in 2012, Nneka Ogwumike,
to a free throw battle.
(percussion music)
I made 58 shots today, this is really, really frustrating.
Ah, I don't know, (laughing) this isn't going like
I planned it to go.
(percussion music)
I think I made 20 of the last 21,
I was definitely feelin' it, it was like magic.
(percussion music)
One percent away from 80 percent,
so close, man.
At the end of 30 days, I was amazed to see
that my free throw percentage increased
from 37 percent all the way up to about 70 percent.
I just have one thing left to do,
dominate the mental game.
So, I decided to talk to a sports psychologist,
who helps athletes stay focused.
When you train athletes, how do you work with them?
- A lot of times, when athletes try to go
into a focused state, they don't know how to do it
while keeping their body calm.
I'm gonna do a little training with you,
using what's called biofeedback.
As I coach you in terms of optimal breathing,
we're gonna begin to see response
of your nervous system and cardiovascular system,
and you can see how chaotic this is moving.
When you breathe out, imagine your entire body
kinda sinking or melting.
It helps to align a lot of the physiological systems
in your body and it helps produce, literally,
both a calming and a focus.
- Is there a way I can speed up that process?
- Practice, picture yourself in the real-life situation.
The more real you make it, the more effective
you'll be when you're actually in that situation.
- So, in one month, I learned how to shoot,
I prepared myself mentally, and I practiced
every single day.
But, would all that be enough to beat
a professional basketball player?
It is day 30 of my challenge.
I am now here with Nneka Obwumike.
She's gonna compete against me in this free throw battle,
and I'm going to dominate her.
- Uh, no. - [Steve] We're gonna take
turns taking free throws.
I'll take two, you take two, until we both take 10.
It'll be one point if it goes in, two points
if you swish it.
Can you dunk? - [Nneka] I can.
I have the utmost confidence in me to win this.
- This is gonna be pretty easy, I mean, she's been playing
for 14 years, I've been playing for 30 days.
Oh ho, that was a swish, three points.
- Oh.
(bell rings twice)
I love this ball, can I go with the one I've been doing
it with? - [Nneka] You wanna shoot
with yours, all right.
Oh ho, so it was the ball.
- And off.
Ooh. - [Nneka] That's off, oh,
off up in there.
There it is , oh.
(buzzer and bell)
- Oh, isn't that the first one I missed.
- Yes, just lettin' you know.
- All right, trash talking's not my thing.
He's coming for me.
Oh no. - [Steve] Hah!
- Shooter said. (laughter)
- Ooh.
- All right, oh wow, swish.
- (alarm bell)
When we mess up on the court, we run.
- You run? - [Nneka] Yeah, let's get it.
- Oh my gosh, this is so embarrassing.
What am I doing?
I lost to Nneka, and it wasn't really ever that close.
What's kind of mind blowing though, is that
for a 30 minute competition, I had spent 30 days
of preparation and I still lost.
As a fan, I definitely have a much greater appreciation
for all the work that professional athletes put in.
- They usually call me the Shot Doctor,
but I'm just saying, you know.
- Ooh, who calls you that?
- All of my patients.
(laughter)