System and method for improving a basketball player's shooting including a tracking and control system for tracking, controlling and reporting statistics

A system for assisting basketball practice, comprising:

• a) a launcher which is programmable to make a series of different passes to a player;
• b) a control system which
• i) determines a location where said player shot from and whether said player successfully scores a goal from said location;
• and
• ii) records, in a computer, the percentage or number of shots made from each location.

An apparatus for assisting basketball practice, comprising:

• a) a system which
• i) launches a basketball along a flight path for a player,
• ii) issues a score signal which indicates whether said player scored a goal after a catch;
• and
• b) a control system which
• i) controls launching by a launcher,
• ii) receives said score signal,
• iii) records data comprising (A) the location of said catch, and (B) whether said goal was scored;
• and
• iv) stores said data recorded, and delivers said data at a later time.

A system for assisting basketball practice, comprising:

• a) a launcher which launches a succession of passes, to different locations, for a player to catch;
• b) a control system which
• i) determines whether each pass resulted in a goal made by said player;
• Ii) records data indicating the events of paragraphs (b)(i) and (b)(ii);
• and
• iii) makes said data available to remote parties.

A system, comprising:

• a) at a first location, a first apparatus which
• i) launches a first basketball along a first flight path for a first player;
• ii) detects whether said first player subsequently scores a goal using said first basketball;
• and
• iii) maintains first data which indicates whether a goal was scored by said first basketball;
• b) at a second location, a second apparatus which
• i) launches a second basketball along a second flight path for a second player;
• ii) detects whether said second player subsequently scores a goal using said first basketball;
• and
• iii) maintains second data which indicates whether a goal was scored by said second basketball.

An apparatus which enables a player to practice basketball, comprising:

• a) a gun or ejector which
• i) has an interface that is programmable for selecting a number of basketball passes;
• and
• ii) launches said basketball passes for said player to catch;
• b) a detector which
• i) for each of said basketball passes, ascertains whether said player succeeded in making a goal;
• and
• ii) for all of said basketball passes, creates a visual matrix, graph, scatter diagram or chart which describes (A) data describing said basketball passes, and (B) for each of said basketball passes, data describing said player's response.