Patent ID: 8708844

Claim:
A basketball system comprising: a basketball goal including a backboard with a backboard frame to which a rebound member is attached, and wherein the rebound member defines an opening; a support structure that is sized and configured to support the basketball goal above a playing surface; a rim assembly that includes a rim, the rim assembly further including a break-away rim mechanism that comprises: an enclosure to which the rim is rotatably connected, wherein a rear portion of the enclosure is disposed in the opening defined by the rebound member; and a biasing member disposed within the enclosure and connected to the rim and to the enclosure so as to resist movement of the rim relative to the enclosure; a rim bracket that connects directly to the rear portion of the enclosure such that no substantial portion of the rebound member resides between the rim bracket and the rim assembly; and a connecting structure that is sized and configured to connect to the basketball goal and the support structure, the connecting structure comprising: a first set of connecting members that each include a first end and a second end, the respective first ends being pivotally connected to the backboard and the respective second ends being pivotally connected to the support structure; a second set of connecting members that each include a first end and a second end, the respective first ends of the connecting members of the second set being pivotally connected to the rim bracket and the second set of one or more connecting members being pivotally connected to the support structure at a location between the respective first ends and the respective second ends of the connecting members of the second set; and a third set of connecting members that each include a first end and a second end, the respective first ends of the connecting members of the third set being pivotally connected to the rim bracket and the respective second ends of the connecting members of the third set being pivotally connected to the support structure.