Grind Basketball Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025

Practicing basketball shooting on your own can be frustrating and tiring. You launch shot after shot, only to chase the rebounds around the court. This wastes time and energy. Many players give up early or never reach their full potential simply because they lack someone to rebound for them. That’s a real problem for students, athletes, and weekend players alike.

Imagine a portable machine that catches every made or missed shot and returns the ball to you automatically. It means more reps, more focus, and more improvement, without needing a rebound partner.

In Shark Tank Season 12, Thomas Fields introduced GRIND, a collapsible rebounding machine designed for solo practice. He asked for $250,000 in exchange for only 5% of his company. On the show, he landed an offer of $250,000 for 25% equity from Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran. After the episode, GRIND sold more than a million units on pre‑orders and grew its brand significantly. This article explores their journey, from pitch to product, and what’s next for GRIND.

Grind Basketball Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025

Thomas was looking for an investment of $250k in exchange for 5% equity in the company. At the time of the episode, he valued his company at $5 million. Thomas successfully secured a deal with Mark and Barbara for an investment of $250k for 25% equity in the company. The investment adjusted the company’s net worth to around $1 million. After the show was aired, the company experienced a good boost in exposure. As per my rough estimate, the current net worth of GRIND is around $1.6 million.

Shark(s) name	$250,000 for 30% equity, $250,000 for 25% equity	Counteroffer	Accepted?
Barbara Corcoran and Mark	$250,000 for 30% equity $250,000 for 25% equity	$300,000 for 25% equity	Yes
Lori Greiner	Out	N/A	N/A
Kevin O’Leary	Out	N/A	N/A
Alex Rodriguez	Out	N/A	N/A
Mark Cuban	Out	N/A	N/A

Thomas Fields Backstory + Their Initial Pitch 

Thomas Fields’s journey began in Houston, where he excelled at basketball in high school. He planned to play NCAA Division I and dreamed of the NBA. But fate intervened, two ACL tears followed by a meniscus injury ended his hopes. He refused to give up basketball. Instead, he returned to the gym, day after day, refining his shot. He noticed a common crunch: Drills were limited by who chased rebounds.

He saw coaches and athletes waiting or stopping practice. He decided to build a DIY solution: a shooting machine that catches balls and returns them automatically.

Thomas started in his garage. He tested prototypes with PVC pipes, bungee cords, and nets. He learned about manufacturing, logistics, website design, and customer service. By early 2020, he was shipping units from a Kickstarter campaign. The product cost him $977 to build and sold for $1,495. The pitch to Sharks was powerful and raw: he introduced GRIND as a portable, pneumatic rebounding machine that folds to a compact size in under two minutes.

He emphasized nine‑spot shooting and up to 1,000 shots per hour. He had already secured $215,000 in pre‑orders, proof of demand. His story blended ambition, hardship, and purpose. Thomas valued his company at $5 million based on the 5% equity ask. He hoped a Shark could help him scale production, manage fulfillment, and expand marketing channels.

Queries + Shark’s Responses, and Final Deal

Inside the Tank, each Shark probed a crucial part of Thomas’s business.

Kevin O’Leary started with a simple question: “Why do you need help?” Thomas explained that scaling production, managing supply chain delays, and ensuring fulfillment required experienced partners. Kevin liked the idea, but felt the deal structure wasn’t right for him. He exited, offering no investment.

Lori Greiner followed. She saw the product’s potential but doubted its fit with her portfolio. She valued toys, household goods, and beauty products; this sports equipment wasn’t her strength. She wished Thomas well and stepped away.

Alex Rodriguez was next. He tightened his focus on numbers. He asked about manufacturing costs and margins. At $977 cost and $1,495 retail, margins were thin. Alex worried the price might be too high for consumers and the margins too low to support sustained growth. He withdrew from the deal as well.

Finally, Barbara Corcoran and Mark Cuban teamed up. Barbara offered $250,000 for 20%. Mark wanted more,30% for the same investment, arguing Thomas needed to share more ownership to bring the Sharks’ resources fully on board. Thomas countered, asking for $300,000 in exchange for 25% equity.

After brief negotiation, Mark and Barbara agreed to their own counter,$250,000 for 25%. Thomas accepted. It was an emotional moment as he officially closed the deal.

Product Availability

The GRIND Machine is available online through its own site and Amazon. It retails around $1,995 in 2025, with occasional payment plans letting customers pay as low as $92/month. Made with durable material, it weighs just 110 pounds, about 54% lighter than other machines. It fits in a duffle bag, unfolds in under 90 seconds, and features a 12-foot net that rebounds balls to nine positions on the court.

It can support up to two basketballs and return up to 1,000 shots per hour. It connects to standard outdoor electricity and comes with a one-year warranty; customers can purchase extended coverage. Additional gear like GRIND-branded shirts, hoodies, and shorts is sold through the website. The founders are also building a software companion to track shots and field insights by next year.

What Happened To The Grind Basketball  After Shark Tank?

The episode aired in 2021, and the results were immediate. Thomas’s website traffic exploded. He sold over $1 million worth of units in pre-orders, shipping 80% by the end of 2022. Reviews flooded in, fans praised it as “the best investment” for basketball improvement, and praised its ease of use and portability.

Despite announcing Shark deals, Thomas never disclosed whether Mark and Barbara’s investment was finalized on the terms shown on air. However, financial reports show he raised a total of $1.6 million in seed funding after Shark Tank, including support from Disney’s Techstars Sports Accelerator in Indianapolis.

Additional funds came via Black Ambition, founded by Pharrell Williams. GRIND won second place in that competition, receiving a $250,000 prize for advancing its mission of using sports to promote STEM for underserved youth.

As of today, the company is still operational. The GRIND machine continues to sell through Amazon and the company website. The price has increased slightly, currently listed at $1,995 retail, but demand remains strong. Net worth estimates put the business around $1.6 million in 2025, with steady 10% annual growth.

Thomas expanded the brand through merchandise and community outreach, GRIND Day events, scholarships, STEM camps, and plans to reach 100 million kids by 2030. Partnerships with NBA Africa and Adidas are in progress. Thomas is also developing smart hardware and software to measure performance and shooting metrics.  

Conclusion

GRIND Basketball Shooting Machine addressed a clear need: helping players practice shooting efficiently on their own. Thomas Fields built a solution that is portable, affordable for athletes, and delivers high-volume reps. On Shark Tank, he secured an equity deal with Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran that valued his company at $1 million. While some Sharks passed on it due to price and margins, the exposure propelled GRIND to success. 

Over a million units were sold in pre-orders, and shipments followed. The company raised over $1.6 million in funding, including from Pharrell’s Black Ambition, and continues to grow through direct sales, partnerships, and community initiatives. Thomas remains committed to helping players improve and inspiring youth to pursue STEM through sports.

GRIND shows how a simple innovation, backed by passion, can ripple beyond the court, and the best reps might still be ahead.