Basketball training aid

A basketball training aid comprising:

• a ball component having a diametric axis and a tubular component which passes through two diametrically opposing sides of the ball component and extends outwardly beyond an exterior surface of the ball component, the tubular component having an inner diameter and a rectilinear axis that is coincident with the diametric axis of the ball component;
• and
• a rigid axle component having a tubular shape with an outer diameter and a rectilinear axis, the rectilinear axis of the axle component being substantially coincident with the diametric axis of the ball component and the axis of the tubular component along an entire length of the axle component during normal operating use such that the axle component passes through the tubular component, permitting the ball component to rotate about the axle component, the outer diameter of the axle component being slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular component so that the ball component is rotatable about the axis of the axle component such that the axes of the tubular component, the ball component, and the axle component remain coincident during rotation and during normal operating use, wherein the axle component has free ends, wherein the free ends of the axle component are coupled to members adapted to be movable in a track arrangement mounted on opposed surfaces that allows the ball component to be raised and then fall back to a resting position, and wherein the ball component is configured to rotate about the axle component when a force is applied to the ball component during normal operating use without causing deformation of the axle component.

A basketball shooting aid adapted to train basketball players the proper wrist flex action at the release point of a basketball shot, comprising:

• a ball component, the ball component having an air inflated interior bladder, the bladder is fixedly mounted on a tubular component which passes through two sides of the ball component and extend outwardly beyond an innermost interior surface and an outermost exterior surface of the ball component such that the bladder remains in an inflated condition;
• and
• a rigid tubular axle component, the axle component passes through the tubular component and is coaxial along an entire length of the axle component with the ball component during normal operating use and permitting the ball component to rotate about the axle component, the tubular axle component having an outer diameter that is slightly smaller than an inner diameter of the tubular member so that the ball component is rotatable about the axle component such that axes of the tubular component, the ball component, and the axle component remain coincident during rotation and during normal operating use, wherein the ball component is configured to rotate about the axle component when a force is applied to the ball component during normal operating use without causing deformation of the axle component wherein free ends of the axle component are coupled to members adapted to be movable in a track arrangement mounted on opposed surfaces that allows the ball component to be raised and then fall back to a resting position.