Today's story is about an innovative basketball idea to assist players improve the essence of basketball!!! Making the basket!!! We interviewed one if the co-founders of EEZYONE, Francis who explained to us their innovative idea. Enjoy the read:  

RHH: Hello Francis, welcome to our RHH community blog. I think stories like yours resonate with people who see basketball the way we do at RHH. 

EEZYONE: Thank you for having me here and giving me the opportunity to share my journey.

Story overview

RHH: Why don't you tell us a bit about the way EEZYONE was borne and how did you decide to go with it?

EEZYONE: First, a little about me: I’m an amateur basketball player. I started relatively late, around 15, playing at the playground and later in a club in Brussels. Over the years, I played, stopped, and came back—life takes you in different directions. But basketball has always been a passion, a way to meet people, relax, and have fun.

The adventure of EEZYONE began during COVID. After the lockdown, playgrounds started reopening. I live just outside Brussels, in Alost, and I went to practice shooting and get some exercise. During the lockdown, I sometimes snuck out to practice alone. Shooting and dribbling by yourself can be incredibly boring—but it’s also something every basketball player experiences. For me, it was always about improving my shot.

I was frustrated by always having to retrieve the ball after making a shot. Sometimes the hoops didn’t even have nets, and if you didn’t have a wall behind the basket, you had to walk far to get the ball. I wanted a simple solution. I bought a small device from Decathlon to attach to the rim and went to the playground with a little staircase in my car so I could install it. It didn’t work perfectly at first, but day by day, I tinkered and improved it. I’m handy, so I could modify and refine the setup until I had something functional—but it was still cumbersome, ugly, and required the staircase every time.

I realized I needed a system that didn’t require a staircase, was easy to set up, efficient, and could work with or without a net. Over months, I faced every problem and gradually improved the device, even though early versions were “ugly” and full of tape.

Once I had a functional prototype, I thought, “I’m not the only one with this problem.” Any player practicing alone experiences this frustration. That’s when I decided to take it seriously. I researched intellectual property, consulted a lawyer, and confirmed that there was potential for a patent. Since I couldn’t do it alone—I have work and a family—I reached out to my childhood friend Patrick. He’s a basketball player, active in coaching, and very involved in his club. At first, he was skeptical, but after trying the device, he saw the potential.

RHH: Tell us a bit about the name of your equipment and what are the main aspects? 

EEZYONE: Naming was important. We wanted a name that conveyed simplicity and utility. That’s how we arrived at “EEZYONE ” reflecting the idea of making basketball practice easier for players.

The product itself—what we call the XTRA BUCKET—lets players practice shooting alone without chasing the ball. It’s quick to assemble, easy to store, and useful for individuals, personal trainers, and clubs. Personal trainers can keep sessions flowing without retrieving balls. Clubs can improve players’ shooting percentages. Individual players can practice more efficiently without renting expensive machines.

RHH: I see it took sometime till you got it done 

EEZYONE: Yes several steps were required. We then partnered with an engineering office to create an industrialized solution. We refined the design from proof of concept to prototype, creating eight versions at home before the first official prototype. The company we founded, XELLENZ, handled the financial, legal, and operational aspects. We also secured subsidies for innovation, which helped us collaborate with engineers and lawyers and file a patent request in 2024. It takes about 30 months to get approval, but at least the filing date is secured and we are covered now.

RHH: Wow a lot of work has gone into this. What market is your focus at the moment? 

EEZYONE: Currently, we are selling in Belgium, with plans to definitely expand to France, and eventually Spain, Italy, and Greece. A standard package costs €397, with a promotion at with a promotion at 349€ until 15/10/2025. Clubs buying multiple units can access special pricing.

RHH: How are your sales progressing thus far? 

EEZYONE: So far, reception has been positive, even though it is a slow progress. People are excited, though some are skeptical at first—it’s a new way to train. We are still growing our audience and awareness, particularly in the French-speaking region of Belgium, Flemish part to be targeted as well. We’ve produced 100 units, and about 22–23 are already sold or reserved. Patrick focuses on sales, legal, and accounting, while I focus on product development, innovation, and marketing. It’s been a lot to manage as a two-person team, but it’s an incredibly rewarding journey.

RHH: So basketball clubs are the main focus for you?  

EEZYONE: It is one of our main targeted audience given the fact that they are more able to afford multiple pieces, but also we would love individuals, head coaches and of course personal development basketball coaches to look into it as it can serve multiple players at once. 

RHH: Any caution regarding your product? 

EEZYONE: The product is best used for close, short & mid-ranged shots, which is gradually returning in basketball. Equipment woks just fine for the 3 point shot but we encourage players to start with the close, short & mid-ranged shot and build up their range. Not everyone is a Stef Curry...

RHH: Any partners that you have identified that you are working with or would like to collaborate with? 

EEZYONE: Yes of course. We have already worked with some notable partners. Basketball clubs like Fresh Air Jette, Next Up Academy and Ganshoren Dame (north of Brussel), institutions like Hub Brussels, Innoviris Brussels, while we also had formal contacts with AWBB and Adeps and we are convinced that they will help us to eventually promote this new training solution that we offer. Additionally we have approached couple of basketball influencers. Tidiane BlackWolf Basket (who plays for the Brussels 3x3Team) and Jean who's a Castor Braine player, so two of the most heard-of voices in Brussels for basketball. We had the chance to have our XtraBucket tested by them. We would of course love to have the opportunity to collaborate with established players and coaches. Business expansion and distributors are part of the plans, while we are of course open to do more collabs & partnering to share our solution and get feedback & new ideas.

RHH: We want to wish you the best of luck and a thank you for talking with us regarding your project.  

EEZYONE: Thank you for having us and we 'll be in touch. You should come and test it yourself!!!

RHH: I promise I will try Francis!!! 

RHH: What are the specifications of your XTRA-BUCKET product? 

EEZYONE: The product is very extensively tested, build to last with solid materials and people will never regret buying it. Its also very easy to store, carry around and setup on practically any basket. But our main satisfaction -aside feeling very creative- comes from the positivity and the reward of a made shot. Its something that can really boost confidence and help develop a continuous effort to keep shooting