This Machine Knows Shooting Better Than Steph Curry

In the practice gym for the University of Virginia men’s basketball team, I’m trying to do my best Stephen Curry. The Golden State Warriors guard is the deadliest three-point shooter in the history of the NBA. I am a playground hack. I shoot from all over the court: free throws, 18-footers, three-pointers. After each shot, a robot speaks from a black box attached to a wall. “For-tee-two,” it says, flatly enunciating each syllable. I shoot again. “For-tee-three.”

The gym is empty except for me and my rebounder, John Carter, chief executive of Noah Basketball. His robot is telling me the angle of each shot as it falls from its peak toward the rim using data from a sensor mounted above the backboard. The software knows exactly what's wrong with my shot: I need to heave the ball up higher.