Basketball shooting aid

Abstract

Disclosed herein are embodiments of basketball shooting aids. In some embodiments, a basketball shooting aid includes a glove portion and at least one stiffener to at least partially restrain the thumb of a user. In some embodiments, a basketball shooting aid can include plural stiffeners, such as two stiffeners, with one positioned on either side of the user's thumb. In some embodiments, a basketball shooting aid includes a stiffener and at least one strap for securing the stiffener to a user's hand. In some embodiments, a basketball shooting aid can help a basketball player to practice his or her shot.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A basketball shooting aid comprising:
 a glove comprising a thumb receiving portion and an index finger receiving portion, the glove also comprising a glove body portion with a palm section that at least partially overlays the palm of a user of the glove when the glove is worn;   a stiffener mounted to the glove and comprising a stiffener body portion, the stiffener body portion being positioned to overlay at least a portion of the palm section of the glove, the stiffener comprising a first projecting portion extending outwardly from the stiffener body portion and extending along at least a portion of the thumb receiving portion of the glove and a second projecting portion extending outwardly from the stiffener body portion and extending toward the index finger receiving portion of the glove.   
     
     
         2 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 1  wherein the thumb receiving portion and the index finger receiving portion of the glove each comprise a respective sleeve with at least the sleeve of the index finger receiving portion being open so as to not cover a distal portion of an index finger of a user wearing the glove. 
     
     
         3 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 2  wherein the sleeve of the thumb receiving portion comprises a distal end portion that is open to expose a thumb of a user wearing the glove. 
     
     
         4 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 1  wherein the glove comprises four finger receiving sleeves with respective distal ends that are open, with one of said finger receiving sleeves comprising the index finger receiving portion of the glove. 
     
     
         5 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 1  wherein the stiffener comprises a polymeric material and the glove comprises a fabric material. 
     
     
         6 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 5  wherein the stiffener comprises a polymeric material that has a stiffness between about 2,000 MPa and about 3,000 MPa when tested in accordance with ASTM D790. 
     
     
         7 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 1  wherein the index finger receiving portion of the glove comprises a proximal interphalangeal joint portion and the second projecting portion of the stiffener extends along the index finger receiving portion of the glove to a location distal to the proximal interphalangeal joint portion of the index finger receiving portion. 
     
     
         8 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 7  wherein the thumb receiving portion of the glove comprises a thumb interphalangeal joint portion and the first projecting portion of the stiffener extends along the thumb receiving portion of the glove to a location distal to the thumb interphalangeal joint portion of the thumb receiving portion. 
     
     
         9 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 8  wherein the thumb and index finger receiving portions of the glove each comprise a respective sleeve, the sleeve of the thumb receiving portion extending outwardly from the body portion of the glove to a location beyond the interphalangeal joint of a thumb of a user and the sleeve of the index finger receiving portion extending outwardly from the body portion of the glove to a location beyond the proximal interphalangeal joint of an index finger of a user. 
     
     
         10 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 1  wherein the stiffener is stitched to the glove. 
     
     
         11 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 1  wherein the stiffener is generally U-shaped with first and second legs and a central body portion from which the first and second legs project, the first leg comprising the first projecting portion and the second leg comprising the second projecting portion, and wherein the central body portion of the stiffener overlays the palm section of the glove. 
     
     
         12 . A basketball shooting aid comprising:
 a glove comprising a thumb receiving portion, the glove comprising a glove body sized to wrap around both sides of the hand of a user; and   a stiffener mounted to the glove, the stiffener comprising a body portion positioned to overlay at least a portion of the glove body, the stiffener comprising a first projection extending at least partially along the thumb receiving portion.   
     
     
         13 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 12  wherein:
 the glove further comprises an index finger receiving portion; and 
 the stiffener further comprises a second projection extending toward the index finger receiving portion of the glove. 
 
     
     
         14 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 12  comprising first and second of said stiffeners positioned on opposite sides of the glove body from one another. 
     
     
         15 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 12  wherein the thumb receiving portion comprises a sleeve having a distal end portion that is open to expose a thumb of a user wearing the glove. 
     
     
         16 . A basketball shooting aid comprising:
 a glove comprising a thumb receiving portion, an index finger receiving portion, a middle finger receiving portion, a ring finger receiving portion, a little finger receiving portion, and a body portion which interconnects the thumb receiving portion, the index finger receiving portion, the middle finger receiving portion, the ring finger receiving portion, and the little finger receiving portion, wherein the body portion includes a wrist receiving opening, a palm section that overlays the palm of a user's hand when the glove is worn, and a back section that overlays the back of a user's hand when the glove is worn;   a first stiffener mounted to the palm section of the glove, the first stiffener comprising a body portion which overlays a portion of the palm section of the glove, a first extending portion extending along at least a portion of the thumb receiving portion of the glove, and a second extending portion extending toward the index finger receiving portion of the glove;   a second stiffener mounted to the back section of the glove, the second stiffener comprising a body portion which overlays a portion of the back section of the glove, a first extending portion extending along at least a portion of the thumb receiving portion of the glove, and a second extending portion extending toward the index finger receiving portion of the glove; and   an adjustable strap mounted to the body portion of the glove, wherein the adjustable strap can be adjusted to modify a size of the wrist receiving opening of the body portion of the glove.   
     
     
         17 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 16  wherein the index finger receiving portion, the middle finger receiving portion, the ring finger receiving portion, and the little finger receiving portion of the glove each comprise a respective sleeve which is open at its distal end so as to not cover a distal portion of a finger of a user wearing the glove. 
     
     
         18 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 17  wherein the thumb receiving portion of the glove comprises a sleeve which is closed at its distal end so as to enclose a distal portion of a thumb of a user wearing the glove. 
     
     
         19 . A basketball shooting aid comprising:
 a glove having a thumb receiving portion and an index finger receiving portion, the glove comprising a glove body interconnecting the thumb receiving portion and index finger receiving portion, wherein the glove body is sized to wrap around both sides of the hand of a user; and   a stiffener mounted to the glove, wherein the stiffener comprises a body portion which extends at least partially over the glove body, extends at least partially over the thumb receiving portion, and extends at least partially over a space between the thumb receiving portion and the index finger receiving portion.   
     
     
         20 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 19  comprising first and second of said stiffeners positioned on opposite sides of the glove body from one another. 
     
     
         21 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 19  wherein the body portion of the stiffener has a shape which is generally circular. 
     
     
         22 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 19  wherein the body portion of the stiffener has a shape which is generally pentagonal. 
     
     
         23 . A basketball shooting aid comprising:
 a stiffener having a thumb portion and a base portion coupled to and extending away from the thumb portion, wherein the base portion is configured to overlay at least a portion of the body of the hand of a user and the thumb portion is configured to extend at least partially along the thumb of a user; and   a strap coupled to the base portion, wherein the strap is sized to wrap around the body of the hand of the user to secure the stiffener to the hand of the user.   
     
     
         24 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 23  wherein the thumb portion is tubular and has a central opening configured to receive the thumb of the user. 
     
     
         25 . A basketball shooting aid according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 the stiffener comprises first and second of said base portions coupled to and extending away from the tubular thumb portion, wherein the first and second base portions are configured to overlay opposite sides of the body of the hand of the user;   the strap comprises a first end portion and a second end portion;   the first end portion of the strap is coupled to the first base portion of the stiffener; and   the second end portion of the strap is coupled to the second base portion of the stiffener.