Like any good sports drama, The Late Show‘s latest edition of “Prove It!” offered action, injury, and a motivational speech.
Tuesday night saw Stephen Colbert present the fourth installment of the recurring segment, which follows Late Show writer Asher Perlman as he attempts to recreate NBA point guard Ja Morant’s double clutch dunk in midair with a two-handed reverse finish.
Last month, Colbert promised to set Perlman up with one-on-one coaching from NBA and college championship-winning coach Rick Pitino. The host delivered on that promise, and The Late Show documented the personal training session that went down at a St. John’s University gym.
“Are you close to dunking a basketball?” Pitino asks Perlman in the taped piece.
“I would describe myself as not close,” Perlman admits.
Reviewing tape of Perlman’s past attempts, Pitino offers mild praise. “He’s making progress,” the coach tells Colbert. “His vertical right now is that of a junior high basketball player.”
After running Pitino through his litany of physical ailments, Perlman is led through a drill by the NCAA Championship-winning coach. His task: Leap toward the backboard and make contact with it, never letting go of the basketball he’s holding in the process, then repeat.
Perlman doesn’t quite make contact, but he gets a few encouraging words from Pitino, whom he calls “the king of the motivational halftime speech.” While Pitino’s speech is indeed motivational, it also acknowledges that Perlman is currently “failing miserably” in his attempts. The words lift Perlman’s spirits, but they don’t appear to bring him much luck. On his next jump, he throws out his back. (Perlman previously threw his back out just weeks into the beginning of his “Prove It!” journey.)
Back in the studio, Perlman tells Colbert some more bad news. He’s added a torn rotator cuff to his list of injuries, forcing the righty to make his next official attempt with his left hand. Before attempting the dunk, the writer also wheels out a “good-luck charm”: the NBA’s Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
“Why would you have that?” Colbert asks, noting the NBA finals are happening right now.
“I don’t know. We called and they sent it over,” Perlman explained. “I guess you just have to ask.”
Rubbing the trophy for good luck, Perlman drives to the hoop for his fourth official attempt. The outcome is better seen than described, but it can perhaps be summed up in Colbert’s response: “We might need to change this contest to ‘Can Asher make a basket?’”
The “dramatic conclusion” of “Prove It!” will come next month. Until then, Perlman is under stricts orders from Pitino to train daily at 5:30 AM.
