How to buy basketball

The Complete Guide to Basketballs

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Have you ever noticed how some basketballs sound different when they bounce? You might hear one with a solid-sounding thunk thunk, and another that has more of a reverberation —kind of a sharper thwak.

Whether you want to play like the pros with an official size ball, or just looking for something for your next pickup game, here’s what you need to know before buying a basketball.

Looking to teach your little one the art of dribbling? There’s a ball for that. The seven-inch mini basketball is a good option for small children who are just starting out and learning to play around with a basketball. Mini basketballs can also be used for skill training for older athletes too.

But what if you want to get serious?

Depending on your league, age and gender, there are three commonly used sizes from which to choose.

Most adult men’s leagues — which range from ages 13 and up — use a size 7 basketball, which is 29.5″ in circumference. By comparison, most women’s leagues and youth leagues that cater to children ages 9 – 12 use a size 6 ball, which comes in at 28.5″.

Finally, a size 5 basketball is a full two inches smaller than the men’s size, settling at 27.5″. This ball is intended for children under 9.

The basketball’s material is another feature to take into consideration, although material may largely depend on league requirements if you’re playing competitively.

There are three basic types of material: leather, synthetic (also known as composite) and rubber.

When the pros play, they’re using leather basketballs. While this material may be expensive, it’s soft and supple. Its biggest advantage is a boost in control — even when your palms are sweaty, leather balls are made to maintain a high level of grip. It also helps avoid damage to the wooden flooring of indoor courts. It’s also important to note that leather basketballs should only be used on indoor courts because concrete will rapidly degrade their finish. Plus, they require a break-in period before using them competitively.

Synthetic balls offer a fairly successful middle ground in terms of performance. First, there’s no need to break in this material before using it. Second, it can be used both indoors and outdoors. Third, it’s also very durable. You may find that synthetic scuffs up the court a little, but it should buff out with some elbow grease.

Rubber basketballs are generally made for outdoor courts and called outdoor basketballs. They can offer extra bounce and durability. They can also be a good option for beginners who are just learning or for recreational play.

Also, if you guessed that material would have the largest impact on the sound of your dribble, you’d be right. That satisfying thunk thunk sound comes from a nicely broken-in leather ball, whereas the more piercing thwak comes from a rubber ball.

Most basketballs have a burnt orange color, but some are other colors, like black, blue, yellow and even multi-colored.

Most leagues and teams require a standard orange ball. The other colorful options are more about style, rather than function.

If you’re looking for a competitive-play basketball, be sure to check with your team for more guidelines.

If you’re working on developing your skills for competitive play, consider training basketballs.

The traditional trainer is a weighted rubber ball, weighing usually double or more than your average basketball, and are used to develop strength and form for dribbling, passing and shooting as well as ball-handling skills.

To help improve your shot, try a shooter’s basketball. With precise markers to show proper hand placement, these basketballs are designed to develop your shooting technique.

Another option is a connected basketball, which uses technology to aid you in developing a number of skills. These digital “smartballs” may track your shooting percentage, makes, misses and other stats. Many “smartballs” allow you to challenge friends over social media or send stats to your coach, and even allow you to compete in simulated games, so you get a sense of how you’d perform. Furthermore, some models even have built-in workouts and drills, and include game elements like leveling up.

These “smart” balls use Bluetooth to connect to a smartphone, where you can review all of this data, which can be a useful tool for advanced players looking to spot weaknesses in his or her play.

Identifying the basketball you need is as simple as knowing its purpose and then considering its size, material and color. You can take comfort in knowing, when you hit the court, that you understand the ins and outs of your ball.

Who knows, you may even be able to point out a teammate’s ball material just by hearing their dribble.

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What You Need to Know Before You Buy a New Basketball

If you're like most people, the basketball you used as a teenager was terrible, probably some lopsided, fading orange grapefruit that deflated about every 20 minutes. This is how it's supposed to be. You're terrible at basketball when you're 8, and you shouldn't be wasting your parents' money on some fancy-ass ball.

But when you're a gainfully employed grown-up, you can't roll up to the court bouncing some glorified kickball with your last name written on it in magic marker. So for everyone out there motivated by this year's amazing NBA Finals to actually get out there and play a little ball yourself, here's what you need to know.

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Basic Ball Facts

The size of a regulation basketball is half the diameter of the hoop (or ring, if you're an idiot). The NBA's official ball is leather Spalding with a circumference of 29.5 to 29.875 inches, because the highbrow NBA goes to three decimal points. It's 20 to 22 oz. in weight and inflated to between 7.5 and 8.5 PSI, because ball inflation is a goddamn thing now. It's considered a Men's International Size 7. We have no idea what the scale is either, but it's international, so it's probably pretty serious.

In the NCAA, both the men's and women's tournaments use Wilson Solution balls made from composite leather: 29.5 inches circumference, weight 22 oz., also size 7. The NCAA has a corporate relationship with Wilson, so you'll see that name all over the tournament, but individual schools and conferences have contractual agreements with different manufacturers.

Three Ball Types

**1) Leather **

Go With This If: You're playing inside. Driveways and outdoor courts will chew them up in a hurry, says Andrew Staley, who's spent 14 years as an equipment manager with the Purdue Boilermakers. Leather may feel weird when new, but (like your bench-made loafers) will get nice after being broken in.

Pros: Curry shoots with leather balls, so using one will make you almost exactly like him!

Cons: Most expensive by a longshot.

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2) Synthetic Composite

Go With This If: You're want the feel of leather, but not the price.

Pros: Composite leather balls are cheaper, don't wear out as fast and feel soft and broken-in when new. They're good for indoor and outdoor play—although driveways will get to them after a while—and don't dry out as much as their leather brothers.

Cons: Technically they're a little less legit.

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3) Rubber

Go With These If: You're spending summer on the playground. These are summer-camp balls: cheap, plentiful and hard to destroy, even on asphalt.

Pros: Super-cheap. Also, they can technically be used as dodgeballs, which, depending on how your game is going, could be more fun.

Cons: These are your budget models, so unless you stick with a name brand, you might get what you pay for.

How to choose a basketball?

Basketball is a fast and dynamic sport. To enjoy the gameplay, you need to buy high-quality inventory. Basketball equipment is presented in a wide range. Many well-known brands are engaged in the manufacture of balls for this sport. Which option to choose? Consider the main criteria.

Types of basketballs

One of the most important selection criteria is the purpose of the ball. With this, you need to start looking for a suitable projectile, we will start with this, in total there are three types:

• for the hall;
• for the street;
• universal.

The Indoor Basketball has excellent grip on parquet. Made from nat. leather or synthetics. Professional athletes choose models with a composite coating. Microfiber provides a comfortable grip. The material muffles impacts during the dribble. It is forbidden to play on asphalt sites, as in such conditions the projectile will very quickly lose all its qualities.

For the open field (outdoor) use shells made of synthetic raw materials. This composition makes them extremely resistant to wear. Additional surface treatment enhances grip. The ball is easy to control.

Universal projectiles are made of rubber. It is resistant to wear, behaves normally on parquet and can serve for quite a long time on open street areas. Some are covered with synthetic or composite materials. Manufacturers produce goods for sites with a smooth, wooden, rubber coating.

How to decide on the material

To understand how to choose a basketball, take into account the raw materials used in production. Durable versatile basketballs are made from artificial materials. Many professional indoor balls are made from composite leather.

Genuine leather is considered the best material for the hall. The leather ball is an essential element of any professional basketball tournament. If you see the marking “Supreme Leather” on such a ball, then the manufacturer used premium leather.

Quality check

The first evaluation method is rebound. A correctly inflated ball will bounce to a height of approximately 130 centimeters. There is an alternative way. Raise the professional ball to head level, and then release it. He should bounce to the waist. Look at the quality of the nipple.

Do not sit on it or kick it to keep its original shape. Careful use preserves the correct rebound during the dribble. Elasticity is another indicator of quality. The ball must not become soft after a short play. Pump up periodically, but use only a special nozzle, and not a football needle.

Size

What size basketball should I buy? It all depends on the specifics of use. Marking No. 7 - the largest ball is intended for competitions of men's teams. The table shows absolutely all existing sizes:

Size