There comes a time in a man’s life when a basketball and a hoop is all he needs to clear his mind. The steady bounce of the ball, the echoes of shots made and missed running through the memory banks.
With Father’s Day a little over a month from now, what better way to honor the basketball junkie than a new hoop?
For men of a certain age, nothing much can compare to sound of the swish of the ball through the net, except for maybe the grunts and groans of a heated game of one-on-one, make-it/take-it of course, against a friend or a son or daughter. A good game of pickup ball in the driveway creates memories for a lifetime.
Basketball hoops come in all styles. Whether it’s the hoop stuck on a telephone pole or above a garage, or the fancy fiberglass model in the neighbor’s driveway, or the always cool adjustable hoop for those slam-dunk fests, there aren’t many things that come between a man, a leather basketball and a hoop.
At age 66, my brother-in-law Jim still shoots free throws every day in his driveway. 100 free throws, to be exact. It’s his “cigar time”, so to speak. As a retired history professor, he’s earned that time.
With those memories in mind, here are the places to go to find your new hoop and to bring back those memories of your legendary days as the best player on your block!
RETAILERS
- Dick’s Sporting Goods – for sheer volume of options, Dick’s has all kinds of styles to fit your space, preference and, most importantly, budget. You can search online for a hoop, but Dick’s has the options in-store for you to see.
- Academy Sports and Outdoors – Similar to its competitors in its offerings, Academy Sports and Outdoors offers several options in store locations and many more online.
- Steepleton – In Louisville, for all things billiards and man-cave type toys and gadgets, the Steepleton name has been “building fun since 1910,” as their tagline says. The carry the “Goalrilla” basketball line and it’s as good a product you can find. It also comes with options like a tarp to help direct “rebounds” back to the shooter and adjustable heights for the goal. (Steepleton also provides first-rate service to deliver and set up your goal with installation teams that are fully insured and bonded).
- Toys R Us – Definitely catered to the youth market, Toys R Us can get you and your young children started on a lifetime of hoop-shooting fun with sets for tiny tots and all the way up to the fancier, more durable styles.
- Sports Authority – Though this company is facing foreclosure and perhaps shuttering all of its 460-plus retail outlets, they also carry a variety of brands and styles of baskets. May be the perfect time to check out their selection as they restructure or going into close-out pricing due to its bankruptcy status.
ONLINE OUTLETS
- Amazon – Amazon.com is probably Dick’s biggest competitor in the basketball hoops market.
- Goalrilla Goals – Goalrilla.com. Their quality ranks among the best and they have a variety of styles including a regulation-sized backboard if that’s what you want. They also have options, like a rebounding system, that can make your experience on the driveway court easier.
- Dick’s, Academy, Toys R Us, Sports Authority – Each of their web sites can hone in on your preferences and get you exactly what you want.
