Imagine wanting to go play some basketball, only to realize that the court you arrived at has a hoop without a net. With parks like Calabazas and San Tomas, much too often, I’ve been hit with this wave of disappointment when I see the netless rims standing forlornly.
The most satisfying part of shooting is the thrilling experience of a swish. The sound of the ball hitting the net and falling out of the hoop gives an irreplicable dopamine rush, and without a net, the ball just goes through the rim and hits the ground — a major letdown.
The purpose of the net is to easily assess if the ball went through the rim. Without the net, there could be arguments over whether a point is counted or not, taking the fun out of basketball.
To me, the worst part is that a hoop without a net just looks like the person who built it fell asleep while making it and forgot to add the net, and it drains any excitement around wanting to play basketball with my friends.
