Patent ID: 8177667

Claim:
Apparatus for practicing shooting a basketball, including: a basketball; and an intra-digital device for use in practicing shooting said basketball, said device comprising: a linking member having first and second ends that are coupled to one another at a joint so that said first and second ends make an angle greater than zero; an index finger receptacle through which to receive the index finger of a user, said index finger receptacle being detachably connected to the first end of said linking member; a ring finger receptacle through which to receive the ring finger of the user, said ring finger receptacle being detachably connected to the second end of said linking member; and a middle finger receptacle through which to receive the middle finger of the user, said middle finger receptacle lying in a space surrounded by the first and second ends of linking member and an imaginary line extending between the centers of said index finger and ring finger receptacles, said index, ring and middle finger receptacles positioned relative to one another so that the index, ring and middle fingers of the user received therethrough are held in contact with said basketball while practicing, and wherein the middle finger receptacle has a top and a bottom, the top of said middle finger receptacle lying against the joint of said linking member, and said detachably connected index finger and ring finger receptacles are held by the first and second ends of said linking member below the top of said middle finger receptacle.