Almost two hours before game warmups begin, Taylor Robertson stands alone on the court. The Oklahoma guard glides across the wood flooring shooting from beyond the arc and then from the free throw line. She goes through ballhandling exercises and game shots. Sometimes a manager rebounds for her. Counting every goal, Robertson stops when her internal tally reaches 230 baskets.
Over the summer, Robertson quantifies how many practice shots from different places on the court should be taken—last season it was 207 warmup shots. Watching the basketball sink into the net repeatedly becomes a meditative process for the redshirt senior. She believes she will score during game time because she’s made the shot countless times before.
“[Many think] she’s a natural shooter,” says her mother, Traci Robertson. “I wouldn’t say that there was a whole lot natural about it. It was hours and hours and hours of time in the gym, time in the driveway. She’s played in thousands of basketball games. It didn’t happen by accident, and I don't know if people really understand how hard she’s worked to get where she is.”
