Why are some people investing in getting help from a basketball ball return machine?
You might have asked yourself this question a couple of times.
For anyone looking to learn how to play basketball, one of the most challenging aspects comes from timing.
Timing is crucial to anyone who is looking to get into basketball and make it part of their sporting repertoire.
However, as you might imagine, being good at basketball and having good timing are something you need to combine together.
With a tool like this, you should have no problem at all in turning your game around and making yourself a generally more efficient player.
One thing you will probably find about buying a ball return system, though, is the sheer volume of options.
Don’t worry, though; we’ve got your back here. With this article, you can learn about how to pick the best system for you – along with some great recommendations.
So, let’s get started by taking a look at which kind of return machine you could try out.
With the right selection, you could really see a big improvement in how you play the game.
Also, if you’d like to couple this product with a quality hoop, make sure you check out this post on the best types of basketball hoops.
So, how does one go about picking this specific type of item?What exactly is a basketball ball return machine?
A ball return system is a machine that essentially removes the need for a second player.
With a ball machine like this, you can work on your shot without having to rebound on a loose ball.
It’s great for making sure you have almost constant access to balls so that you can just keep getting the ball, firing off with it, and training your skills.
It’s also going to make sure that the ball is always returned back to the shooter regardless of whether or not they make the shot.
For everyone from hobbyist players to concerned coaches, having access to one of these machines is such a useful way to make quantifiable leaps in the quality of your game.
That’s a big reason why so many people today are investing in using a basketball return machine.
With the right machine, you can make it much easier for yourself to get the ball accuracy that you need.
It will mean that you can take multiple shots time at a time, making sure you can improve your shot quality, shot selection, and shot accuracy over a long period of time.
If you intend to go ahead and buy a quality basketball machine, then you do have quite a few factors to focus on.
We recommend making the following genuine priorities when searching.This is what matters for one of these systems:
Construction Material
Always focus on what it’s made of to begin with. You want something that is made from something durable, such as element-proof nylon.
Polyethylene will work, too, but we recommend nylon if you can get it.
You want something made from either plastic or metal if you are buying the return chutes.
Anything below that standard could be prone to breaking, so try and keep that in mind as you go about your search.
Durability
Who wants to invest all of that money into a machine only to find out that it’s not in a good enough condition to be used?
Make sure you invest as much as you can into the durability factor of your purchase.
It should be able to withstand multiple strikes, and it should have no problem with being used long-term. Always make sure the materials match that need.
This also factors in when thinking about how well it is all secured together.
This will ensure that nothing falls off easily, keeping everything nice and tight upon installation.
Longevity
Every return system worth buying comes with a decent level of warranty – a minimum of 90 days should be expected.
Make sure you look into the system as many come with some particular systems that you need to keep an eye on.
You might also find that you have to pay more for the warranty; if that is the case, you need to decide if you can afford not to take that added protection.
As ever, make sure that the product you are choosing to buy comes with a history of lasting for a long period of time. If not, they might be offering you shorter warranty for a reason!
The Return System
Always take the return system into account – it’s a very important part of buying a good quality of system. Always be sure to look into the style of the return system.
The Most Common Styles Include:
Catch Net – this system makes sure that you use a net that delivers the basketballs back towards the person who has taken the shot.
Good for varied angles and tend to be among the easiest to install. They tend to be among the simplest to work with and suitable for most uses.
Return Chutes – These are great for making sure that the shots are delivered directly back into the hands of the shooter.
A great system that is useful for those who want something more automated. However, loose balls and/or missed shots need to be hunted down manually.
Rebound Caps – Another common choice that is useful for rebounding skills.
If your main problem is that you lack the timing needed to pull off a rebound shot, then getting rebound caps can be very useful for making sure you can pull this off and make it work to your advantage.
Very much an important part of modern basketball playing.
As ever, be sure to look into each option and work out which one would be the most satisfying for you.
Coverage
The type of rebound is one thing – the coverage is another thing entirely.
The catch net styles need to have a good coverage level, and that can be hard to find if you just take the first model that you see.
The coverage is all about the maximum angle that you can play your shot at whilst still having it funneled and captured in the net.
The wider the net, the more useful the coverage level is going to be.
You need to have good coverage mainly as it will play a role in making sure you can get more than one person playing at once on a singular goal, making sure that nobody is having to look for loose balls.
They are a good part of making sure you can get a greater percentage of your shots brought back to you. Always pay particular attention to the quality of coverage.
Ease of Installation
Forget all of the above though – what good is a product if you cannot install it without a massive headache?
Make sure that you pick something that you can install without any issues. It should come with all he tools that you need that allows for installation in a few short minutes.
Ease of Assembly/Disassembly
However, when you are done it should be as easy to take down as it is to set up.
Most people don’t leave their machines set up all the time, so make sure you can get used to being able to disassemble it all quickly.
It should be easy to pack up and store away – as easy as it is to unpack and install, anyway.So, which system should you buy?
Great question. With so many models out there to pick from, you can find yourself quite confused as you look through the various options.
If you are someone who feels suitably stumped at the sheer amount of options that you can pick from, then we know how you feel exactly.
If you would like some help in making sure you can get around that problem, then you should definitely take a look at the various basketball machine options that we have in mind for you here.
With one of these, you should be able to get all of the help that you need to progress a bit further forward in your basketball education.
So, with such a fine range of items to pick from, which models should you be looking at based on the above criteria we broke down for you?
Without further ado, here are the best ball return systems in the market:
Top 7 Recommended Choices
1. Goaliath Basketball Return System
A popular starting place for most people would be to look at the Goaliath Basketball Return System.
This particular system has been on the market for a short period of time but is made by overall net experts in Goalrilla.
This is a good choice for those who want something nice and easy to get to grips with, giving you a solid product that you should have very little issues in using once they are laid down.
It’s a solid product that comes with a 90-day warranty as well as giving you a solid product that has a long-term level of durability.
For those who need a bit of help in making sure they can get a good return system ongoing, this would be a fine place for you to start with.
It’s easily installed, positioned, and placed to make sure you can get maximum returns on your investment.
However, it’s one of the most affordable products on the market so it does have some issues with long-term quality.
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2. Spalding Back Atcha
The Spalding Back Atcha is a great choice for those who are getting more accurate with their shots and want more practice.
If you are used to missing your shots, though, avoid this.
The Back Atcha does not find it easy to return missed shots back to you, and it cannot change directions either.
That can be somewhat limiting and can overtake the ease of installation and/or the fact that this makes it easy to collect free throws.
Overall, though, this is a great product choice for most people who are looking for a simple and easy to use basketball solution.
Great for early training and helping you to build up a level of basic competence.
However, don’t expect it to be great for those who are used to making lots of missed shots – the lack of return on a mixed shot can be quite frustrating.
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3. Goalrilla Basketball Yard Guard
Smart and simple, this Goalrilla product should give you all of the help that you need for basic training.
It’s a good choice that is useful for airballs and balls that bounce off the rim and/or are thrown beyond the reach of a player.
Sick of having to go and get your ball from the middle of the street? Then this can help you to avoid that particular problem.
This is also great for making sure that you can set up a high height, with a height of up to 9ft and a width of around 12ft.
However, be sure to look over your arrival very closely should you go and buy one of these. Reports exist that these high a higher-than-average chance of turning up broken or damaged.
Though such claims are obviously anecdotal, we do recommend looking very closely at what has arrived.
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4. Rolbak Net Gold
Another alternative to many of the most common options would be the Rolbak Net Gold.
The only issue with the Rolbak Net Gold is that it can be quite limited in terms of strength and durability.
You can find that it can have some issues with durability, as the water bag can begin to leak after a shorter period of time than you would like.
However, with a 90-day money back guarantee if you spot any early problems you can get a full refund or replacement.
It’s made to ensure that you can get a good level of variety in your place, and the face it can be installed more or less on your own – even for a kid – and it’s a great self-assembled basketball return system.
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5. Rukket Return Net Guard & Backstop
Out of all the starting places for buying something like this, we would have the Rukket Return Net Guard & Backstop pretty high up on that list.
Though the stands could do with a touch more durability and they aren’t great for powerful long-range digs, this is a fine item for those who are looking for a simple, effective, affordable option.
The lack of grounding is a mild concern for some, but it’s so easy to set-up and start using that you should find it great for those short on time.
However, the addition of such solid and robust warranty is a big reason why so many people see this as their best choice.
It’s a big reason why we think you should absolutely look to start using this to your advantage in your early education.
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6. SKLZ Rapid Fire II
Another fine choice for most people would be the SKLZ Rapid Fire II.
This is a very impressive model which is designed to ensure that you can train and work on your game to your hearts content.
A fine choice for most people who would be looking for something nice and easy to get to grips with.
It’ s a solid choice for most player as the large size of the return et means that you should have no problem at all in making your returns nice and safe.
It’s a good choice for those who are having their basketball board put up on a roof or a garage gate, meaning that you should have no problem at all in getting to and from the rebounds that it puts out.
Very much a good choice for most people who are looking for something smart yet simple.
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7. SKLZ Kick Out 360
The Kick Out 360 degree ball return system from SKLZ is a fine choice for most players.
The simple and easy to manage set-up means that you can probably set this up on your own.
It’s also easy to get back down even on your own, so it should not take up too long in terms of your time.
On top of that, you will find that it’s a good starting place for those who want something durable and well protected.
However, just note that the return of balls can sometimes be a touch slower than you would have wanted – often, it’s more like a short dribble as opposed to a rapid pass.
It’s also not able for you to rotate with any grounding.
It will spin in whichever direction the momentum of the ball just so happens to take the product, so keep that in mind.
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Bonus Recommendations
8. IC3 Basketball Shot Trainer
A good, simple and effective place to turn outside of the above would be the IC3 Basketball Shot trainer.
We personally love this one as the ball return is so accurate – even if you take your shot from a very obscure and off angle.
This is great for those who maybe lack consistent rhythm in their shooting; if you find that you aren’t naturally rhythmic with your shooting, you should try this out.
The only thing we would say against this particular product is that it can be quite hard to build and then to take apart.
You can spend an unreasonable amount of time doing this, so it can become quite a headache.
If you like a sturdy and versatile machine, though, this would be a fantastic starting place. It’s an excellent alternative to most of its competitors, anyway.
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9. Tekk Trainer Rebounder Goal
A fine place to go to if you want an alternative to the above options, though, is the Tekk Trainer Rebounder Goal.
This is a fine choice to go for if you want something with a strong, durable net that can take a fair amount of punishment.
Durability and sturdiness always matter when buying a product like this.
That’s why we recommend that you don’t mess around and that you buy something that is suitably strong, sturdy, and has a solid and wide rebound angle.
It’s a good choice for those who want to get an all-purpose sporting solution, too.
While it’s made for basketball, the Tekk Trainer Rebounder could in theory be used for other sports, too.
While the nets lack that spongey bounce that you get from some nets, it’s a solid machine in general. Absolutely one that we would recommend you check out.
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10. SKLZ Solo Assist
Another alternative if you want to stick to SKLZ products is to use their impressive SKLZ Solo Assist tool.
This is very easy to work with and to set up, though the net can be somewhat confusing if this is your first time arranging it.
After setting it up once, though, this is very easy to set up after that. it’s great for making sure that you can get used to trying out various practice techniques, most notably passing.
Many other selections will only allow you to work on things like shooting.
However, this allows you to work on your passing. The fact it’s also quite easy to store away should make this particular option a good choice for you to try out.
It definitely has the style you would need from a modern return machine, anyway.
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Making The Final Decision
With so much to think about, then, we know you might be a touch confused about what to do and what to go for.
Don’t worry though, that doesn’t have to be the case if you don’t want it to be. You should definitely take the time to read through all of our suggestions above.
While every item has its pros and cons, each ball return machine shall almost certainly help you to enjoy your day-to-day playing a bit more.
With the results you can achieve over time, it’s an investment absolutely worth your time.
Feel free to share your thoughts below this post and thanks for checking out this review!
