Basketball
Train like a Pro: Lethal Shooter
Chris Matthews, shooting coach to the NBA elite, shares his secrets to training jumpers every time.
Better known as Lethal Shooter, Chris Matthews is perhaps the most sought-after shooting coach for NBA players. Watch nearly any pro game—the odds are good you’ll see his clients sinking big three-pointers. Mathews calls his approach “the art of shooting,” a philosophy that emphasizes consistency, repetition and mental focus.
Growing up, Matthews fell in love with basketball. “I could shoot really, really good,” he says. That’s how he earned the nickname “Lethal” from his dad. “He would always tell me, ‘Don’t pass the ball, shoot every shot,’” recalls Matthews. “That’s where the love came from.”
A standout shooter in college, Matthews played pro ball in Europe, South America and elsewhere for seven years before a series of injuries ended his career. “I did it at an elite level, so teaching it is second nature,” he says. “Every single day, I’m trying to master it myself.” To stay sharp, Matthews might sink 300 shots in a session.
In his reinvention as a coach, Matthews has found deep gratification. After helping a few NBA friends, Matthews’ reputation as a coach spread quickly. “It’s just so satisfying to see that with hard work, consistency and dedication, it can all pay off,” he says. “Because it’s true not just with basketball, it’s in life.”
01
REPETITION
“You want to start close to the basket”
“To be the best shooter, you have to do it every day. Your body gets used to something you do every day. It’s muscle memory. Some people try to shoot from too far out too early. That’s not good, because you’ll have bad form. You want to master each step before you step back. I think form shooting is really good when you shoot from close. You’re learning the feel for the ball, the feel of your body, the feel of how to breathe. To warm up, I’ll go to the free-throw line and try to make 40 to 60 shots in a row. Then I’ll step back.”
02
FOCUS
“You have to learn to block things out”
“Everybody is different. Once I see what your trigger points are, I will keep bothering that trigger. That way you understand that nobody can distract you from your greatness but you. There’s certain things in basketball that you can’t control. You have to learn to block them out. When you can do that, you’ve mastered the art of shooting. If you can shoot like that, it means when you go shoot in front of 17,000 people, and you have to hit a game-winner, you aren’t bothered that people in the stands are saying your mom is this or that.”
Lethal Shooter is one of the most sought after shooting coaches in the NBA.
© KOURY ANGELO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
To master something, believe in yourself.
“Whenever you’re trying to master something, it takes the mindset to understand that the only person who can stop you in life is you. It’s not your neighbor, not your mom or dad, not some person on social media. It’s you. It’s you telling yourself every day that you can be successful. It’s like my saying, ‘Stay locked in.’ It’s doing it every single day, being consistent, never being satisfied.”
03
STRENGTH
“You need strong legs for a good shot”
“As a shooter, you have to make sure your legs are tight. The art of shooting comes from the core of your legs. I’ve gotten away from squats, because I’m not hooping anymore and I try not to put so much pressure on my knees. I have a NordicTrack inside, and riding a bike is the best way to build up the muscles around your knees. Bike riding was one of my passions that I got from my dad. That bike life is really good for you. As a hooper, try not to overlift, and make sure you’re lifting light.”
04
NUTRITION
“Eating the right way impacts your shooting”
“I have a team that helps my athletes with nutrition. If I’m trying to help someone with shooting and they’re not eating the right way, they won’t shoot the basketball the right way. I might have moments where I’m like, ‘Let me just eat some Skittles.’ But I have been focused on eating the right way, and I notice it in my shooting. I try not to overeat before workouts. I’ve been eating toast with peanut butter, and that’s definitely been holding me down to be satisfied but not full. Just like two pieces of toast, and I put banana on it.”
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