At S&S Worldwide we sell over 200 Basketball products, so if you’re unsure which ball is best for the needs of your program, event or activity – this guide will help you. There are many things to consider like where you will be using it, how old and the size the participants will be using the basketball and ofcourse – your budget. We are here to break down the differences of our basketballs for you based on size, material, definition and brand.
SIZES OF BASKETBALLS
| Size | Basketballs come in a variety of sizes and different terms are used somewhat interchangeably to describe them. | ||
| Term | Size/Number | Circumference / Inches | Description / Uses / Ages |
| Official | 7 | 29-3/4” | Used for most men’s professional, recreational and high school leagues. Also used by women in some international competitions like the Olympics. |
| Intermediate | 6 | 28.5” | This size ball is used for most women’s professional, recreational, high school and middle school leagues. It is also often used for boys middle school leagues and games. |
| Junior | 5 | 27.5” | Used for elementary school aged kids. |
| Mini | 3 | 22” | Mainly used as a toy, not suitable for playing basketball. |
View all S&S Basketballs here
DIFFERENT BASKETBALL MATERIALS
| Basketball Materials | Basketballs are classified by the type of material that is used on the outermost layer of the ball. The material used on the outer layer of a basketball is sometimes referred to as the cover material. |
| Leather | Most basketballs used to use natural leather on the outside. Leather covers are durable when used indoors and after broken in provide a good feel. Starting in the mid 1980’s, the quality of synthetic and composite covers started improving to the point where they equaled or exceeding the performance of leather covers at lower cost. Today, leather balls are almost non-existent with the notable exception of the NBA game ball that is still leather. |
| Composite | Composite is a term used to describe a high performance non-leather cover. There really is no single aspect of a cover material that distinguishes between a composite material and a synthetic material. In general, the manufacturer’s will describe their higher end balls as having a composite cover and their lower end balls as having synthetic covers. The term “composite” was introduced by Spalding around 1985 to describe the first synthetic cover material that equaled the performance of leather balls and was used on their TF-1000 balls. Most composite covers materials consist of a layer of soft polyurethane (PU) material that is coated onto a non-woven fabric material. Most composite materials can be used indoors or outdoors, though some materials are designated for indoor use only. |
| Synthetic | See “Composite” for differences between composite and synthetic. Most balls described as having synthetic covers are designated for both indoor and outdoor use. Synthetic cover materials often consist of a PVC or combination of PU/PVC material coated onto a woven or non-woven fabric. |
| Rubber | The pebbles and covers on rubber balls are integrally molded on the ball. Rubber materials have a very good tack and grip when player’s hands are dry, but can get slippery when player’s hand get moist from perspiration. Rubber balls have good abrasion resistance and make great outdoor recreation balls. Some rubber balls have an outer layer of rubber that is foamed, which provides an improved grip and softer feel to the ball. |
THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BASKETBALL – HOW IT’S MADE
| Basketball Definition | Commonly used terms to describe basketball and basketball construction. |
| Bladder | The innermost layer of a basketball. Primary use is for air retention. |
| Butyl | A type of rubber that is very good at preventing air pressure loss. The higher percentage of butyl rubber used in the bladder, the better the ball will be at retaining it’s pressure. Butyl is more expensive than other types of rubber. |
| Windings | Windings are pieces of thread that are wrapped or wound around a bladder to help maintain the size and shape of a ball when it is pressurized and over the life of the ball. Windings function like the plies or belts used in a tire. Windings are made from polyester and or nylon threads. The longer or more windings used the better the ball. |
| Carcass | A sub assembly of a basketball in which the leather or synthetic layer of cover material is glued. The carcass consist of a bladder, windings and an outer layer of rubber. |
| Laminated Ball | Are basketballs in which the cover material is glued or laminated to a carcass. |
| Panels | The pieces of leather, composite or synthetic that are laminated to the outside of a ball. |
| Seams / Channels | The black areas on a ball between the panels that are generally recessed below the rest of the ball are called seams or channels. Players generally prefer balls with deeper seams or channels than ones with shallow seams. Similarly, players prefer wider seams versus narrow seams. |
View all S&S Basketballs here
BRANDS OF BASKETBALLS
| Brand | Their selling points and cost comparisons |
| Spalding | Top quality balls. World’s #1 supplier of basketballs. Official supplier of NBA basketballs. TF-1000 is most popular high school ball. |
| Wilson | Consistent quality balls. Official supplier of NCAA basketballs. Solid #2 name in basketballs. |
| Mikasa, Rawlings, Tachikara | Good quality balls, but these brands are not as well known a brand for basketballs. |
| Spectrum | S&S Worldwide’s own brand of basketballs offered in a range of prices and performance levels. Includes rubber and laminated balls designed to match the performance of the big brand balls at a more affordable price. |
We’ve included a link to our favorite basketball activities here.
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This is super helpful as my daughter is middle school and wasn’t sure what size to get her.
good information thanks. I am a basketball lover too. I am waiting anxiously for more articles.
It was good information and I totally agree with you about wilson evolution. Wilson is one of my favorite basketballs.
Always go for your age-appropriate size.
Thank you for your valuable information. Wilson evolution basketball is a perfect indoor ball and after reading your review i am more confident about my choice.
Thank you for this informative content. I use spalding Nba street basketball for outdoor and wislon evolution basketball for indoor game.
Thank you for share valuable information. I always use wilson evolution basketball for my indoor plays and spalding nba street for outdoor game.
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My baby is using Mini basketball as she is small aged. Mostly I like Spalding brand for choosing the basketball. I am also a young player in my teenage. So I always prefer this brand. Thanks for sharing this valuable information with us.