# 011: DIY Design & Manufacture of a Basketball Training Tool with Tony Devine of The Original Profender - Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup) - Published: 2016-06-28 - Length: 59m - Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the - Listen: http://www.theproductstartup.com/episode-11-tony-devine-original-profender/ ## Summary Tony Devine, a teacher and inventor, explains how he designed and manufactured the Original Profender, a mobile basketball training device, entirely by himself using a garage workshop and CNC machinery. He details his validation process, which involved demonstrating the prototype to college and NBA programs like Villanova and the Brooklyn Nets to prove its value before seeking formal production. Devine also discusses his experience appearing on Shark Tank, noting that while it provided credibility, it did not generate the expected sales spike, forcing him to remain a one-person operation focused on direct sales and education. He describes the iterative design improvements, such as switching from plastic to metal connectors after field failures, and his strategy of expanding into lower-priced stationary models to capture a broader market. ## Chapters - [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the#t=0) Introduction: Tony Devine and the Original Profender - [1:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the#t=103) Product Functionality and the Inspiration from His Son - [5:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the#t=335) DIY Prototyping: From 5-Gallon Buckets to Refined Designs - [10:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the#t=604) Market Validation: Selling to Villanova, Nets, and NBA Teams - [14:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the#t=866) Intellectual Property: The Reality of Patents and Idea Theft - [16:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the#t=983) The Shark Tank Experience: Publicity vs. Sales Reality - [25:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the#t=1537) Customer Education and Fixing User Errors - [34:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the#t=2076) Product Line Expansion: Stationary Profender and Big Man Pad - [41:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the#t=2485) Design Iterations: Fixing Plastic Connector Failures with Metal - [48:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the#t=2895) Strategic Pivot: Using the Device for Player Evaluation and Drafts ## Topics - [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping) - [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit) - [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer) - [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering) - [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production) - [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics) ## Most relevant to early-stage companies ## Mentioned - Original Profender (product) - Shark Tank (other) - Villanova (company) - Brooklyn Nets (company) - D-Man (product) - Big Man Pad (product) - Stationary Profender (product) - Mako Design + Invent (company) ## Related episodes from other shows - [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 11 - Marco Perry and Mark Prommel of Pensa (11/12)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-11-12-afterschool-podcast-episode-11-marco-perry-and-mark-prommel-of-pensa-11-12) (Core77 Podcast) - [From Crowdfunding to Development and Manufacturing with Erik Hunter of InD Creation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-01-27-from-crowdfunding-to-development-and-manufacturing-with-erik-hunter-of-ind-creat) (Predictable Designs Podcast) - [Scrub Daddy: Aaron Krause. How a Failed Experiment Became a Billion-Dollar Sponge](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-03-16-scrub-daddy-aaron-krause-how-a-failed-experiment-became-a-billion-dollar-sponge) (How I Built This) - [Samuel Feller | Product & Project management, Kickstarter, & DIY Product Launch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2022-10-28-samuel-feller-product-project-management-kickstarter-diy-product-launch) (Being an Engineer) - [3: Onward](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2015-10-28-3-onward) (Thoroughly Considered) ## Citing this page If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-28-011-diy-design-manufacture-of-a-basketball-training-tool-with-tony-devine-of-the. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Product Startup.