System and method for improving a basketball player's shooting including a detection and measurement system
A system and method for improving a player's shooting efficiency by providing a player with various shooting challenge routines at which a player makes either a total number of shots or a total number shots in a row. Statistics regarding the player's performance are stored, printed and/or evaluated and the player can use the information to improve his or her efficiency at one or more of the plurality of different locations where the player shoots the basketball. In another embodiment, a measuring or detection system is used in combination with or separate from a ball launcher. The system is adapted to measure at least one of a distance of a player from the launcher, height of a shot made by the player after catching a basketball, release angle, release time, or arc of a shot; entry angle of the basketball into a goal; hold or release time; or shot arc.
1. An apparatus which enables a player to practice basketball, comprising:
a) a portable basketball launching machine which:
i) comprises an interface that is programmable for selecting a number of basketball passes to different locations on a basketball court; and
ii) launches said basketball passes for said player to catch;
b) a detector which for each of said basketball passes, ascertains whether said player succeeded in making a goal; and
c) a processor configured to, for all of said basketball passes, create a visual matrix, graph, scatter diagram or chart which includes (A) data describing the location of said basketball passes, and (B) for each of said basketball passes, data describing whether said player's basketball shot was successfully made;
wherein said visual matrix, graph, scatter diagram or chart depict a representation of said basketball court overlaid with the percentage of the player's successfully made basketball shots shown at the location of said basketball passes;
wherein said visual matrix, graph, scatter diagram or chart is updated as said basketballs are launched to said player and said player takes said basketballs shots.
2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said selected number of basketball passes specifies a generally radial array of passes originating from a pass launcher.
3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a communication system which transmits said data to a web site, which displays said visual matrix, graph, scatter diagram or chart to parties who visit the web site.
4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a communication system which transmits, directly or indirectly, a list to a system at a remote location, which comprises:
d) a second portable basketball launching machine which
i) accepts said list; and
ii) launches each pass on said list for a second player to catch;
e) a detector which for each pass, ascertains whether said second player succeeded in making a goal; and
f) for all passes, creates a visual matrix, graph, scatter diagram or chart which describes (A) data describing all passes, and (B) for each pass, data describing said second player's basketball shot.
5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said data describing said player's basketball shot includes (1) height of shot, (2) distance of player from goal, (3) release angle, and (4) entry angle into goal.
6. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 in which said data describing said second player's basketball shot includes (1) height of shot, (2) distance of player from goal, (3) release angle, and (4) entry angle into goal.
7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a communication system which transmits said data to a device that displays said visual matrix, graph, scatter diagram or chart.
8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said interface further comprises a plurality of directly and individually interactive indicia for selecting the location of said basketball passes.