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Rockets Forward's Mom Reaches Out to Famed Shooting Coach for Help
Tari Eason's mother hopes Chris Matthews can fix her son's 3-point shooting struggles as the playoffs approach.
Mar. 21, 2026 at 6:41pm
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Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason has been mired in a shooting slump, missing 23 consecutive 3-pointers at one point in March. Eason's mother, Teroya Eason, has taken to social media to plead for help from famed shooting coach Chris Matthews, who recently helped rapper Ja Rule improve his jumper. Teroya believes Matthews can turn Eason into a "Steph Curry" by the playoffs if he can work with her son.
Why it matters
Eason's shooting struggles have become a major concern for the Rockets as they try to solidify their playoff positioning with just 13 games left in the regular season. The team is counting on Eason to be a key contributor, so getting his shot back on track could be crucial for their postseason hopes.
The details
Eason, a first-round pick, was shooting a blistering 46% from 3-point range heading into the All-Star break. However, his shooting has fallen off a cliff since then, making just 14% of his 3-pointers. In March alone, he's only converting 6% of his attempts from deep. Eason's mother, Teroya, has taken to social media to plead for help, hoping that shooting coach Chris Matthews can work his magic and turn her son into a knockdown shooter like he did with rapper Ja Rule.
- Eason missed 23 consecutive 3-pointers at one point in March.
- Eason finally hit a 3-pointer during the Rockets' blowout win over the Hawks on Friday, March 18, 2026.
The players
Tari Eason
A Houston Rockets forward who has been struggling mightily with his 3-point shooting, missing 23 consecutive attempts at one point in March.
Teroya Eason
Tari Eason's mother, who has taken to social media to plead for help from famed shooting coach Chris Matthews to fix her son's shooting woes.
Chris Matthews
A famed shooting coach who recently helped rapper Ja Rule improve his jumper, and whom Teroya Eason hopes can turn her son Tari into a "Steph Curry" by the playoffs.
What they’re saying
“I don't understand why you guys think this is a cook??? y'all are so scared. I'm not. He knows he's not shooting well. The man said he made Ja Rule into a shooter in two hours today, so my son should be Steph Curry by the playoffs. I dropped the comment trying to see some.”
— Teroya Eason, Tari Eason's mother
“My baby couldn't hit Jordan Poole with Draymond Green right now!!!! that sh-t almost broke the backboard!!! where are all the basketball gods when I need them I've been a fairly good person lmao”
— Teroya Eason, Tari Eason's mother
What’s next
The Rockets will be closely monitoring Tari Eason's progress as he works with shooting coach Chris Matthews to try to fix his 3-point shooting struggles ahead of the playoffs.
The takeaway
Tari Eason's shooting slump has become a major concern for the Rockets as they push for the playoffs, and his mother's public pleas for help from a renowned shooting coach highlight the urgency to get the young forward's shot back on track.
