Private sale basketballs
The private sale of Basketball balls brings together balls for every court and every age: composite Spalding and Molten balls for indoors, rubber balls Nike and Molten for the playground, Wilson three-on-three balls, balls in the colours of ASVEL, AS Monaco and Baskonia, NBA and WNBA balls, Dribbler mini-balls and foam balls for the youngest.
The ball of their club or their star, at a discounted price.
What size basketball according to age
The size of the ball depends on the age category. Size seven, about seventy-five centimeters in circumference, is for men from age fifteen and up. Size six, a little smaller and lighter, is used for women of all ages and boys under thirteen years old. Size five is for basketball teams up to under eleven years old, when a hand cannot yet cover an adult ball. For little ones, the Tremblay foam ball doesn’t hurt on impact and bounces softly, and the NBA Dribbler mini-balls in team colours fit into a child's hand for learning to dribble. The official three-on-three ball, like the Wilson FIBA, has the circumference of a size six and the weight of a size seven.
The rest of basketball
The private basketball sales also include:
All the offers are gathered on the basketball page.
Composite or rubber: the ball according to the court
The cover decides where you play. The composite, a synthetic leather with a slightly textured surface, provides a precise feel on wood floors: this is the material of the Spalding Legacy, designed for indoor use, and the Molten training ball. The rubber, thicker and more abrasion-resistant, withstands the asphalt and concrete of playgrounds, like the Nike Everyday Playground with eight panels or the Molten rubber ball. Between the two, reinforced composites like the Spalding Gold, Silver, and React allow for mixed indoor and outdoor use. An indoor composite that goes out on the asphalt quickly loses its grip: it's better to keep two balls, one for the gym and one for the street.
Why is the basketball orange
The basketball hasn’t always been orange. Until the late fifties, it was dark brown, hard to see for both players and the public. Tony Hinkle, coach of Butler University, then asked Spalding, supplier for American college competitions, for a more visible ball: the orange version was tested at the 1958 Final Four and adopted the following season. Spalding then became the exclusive supplier of the NBA from 1983 to 2021, before Wilson took over. Balls in the colours of ASVEL, AS Monaco, and Baskonia, or the NBA Tribute ball of the Knicks, continue this story from the fans' side.
Inflating your ball to the right pressure
A well-inflated ball can be checked by its bounce: dropped from about one metre eighty, it should bounce back between one metre twenty and one metre forty, according to the official FIBA rules. The recommended pressure, printed near the valve, is usually between half a bar and six tenths of a bar. Wet the needle before inserting it straight in, to avoid damaging the valve, and inflate with small presses. A ball that’s too hard bounces unpredictably and tires the fingers when catching; too soft, it sticks to the floor and makes dribbling difficult. Cold reduces the pressure: a ball left in a car in winter should be checked before playing.
Frequently asked questions
How to break in a new composite ball?
A new composite has a smooth finish that fades after a few sessions: the texture opens up and the grip increases. You can speed up this break-in by playing regularly and wiping it with a dry cloth, without any product.
How to clean a dirty basketball?
Wipe it with a slightly damp cloth and a bit of mild soap, then dry it immediately with a clean towel. Avoid soaking it, using a solvent, or leaving it to dry in the sun, which hardens the cover.
Can a basketball burst?
This rarely happens, especially with an overinflated ball, exposed to high heat or with a worn bladder. A bulge, meaning a bump that appears on the surface, often indicates an internal rupture: the ball becomes irregular and should be replaced.
How to deflate a basketball?
Insert a damp inflating needle into the valve, without a pump, and gently press the ball to let the air out. Stop regularly to check the bounce, to avoid going below the recommended pressure.
What ball to give to an NBA fan?
A ball in the colours of a franchise, like the one for the Knicks, or a signature ball, like the Nike Playground Ja Morant, is popular among supporters of all ages. For a young child, a Dribbler mini-ball of their favourite team can even be used indoors.
