Official NBA game ball question

[jcollector]

I've always wondered why I've never seen this ball used by the general public ( besides the issue of the $80+ price tag). My question was answered after reading many customer reviews online. People seem to hate it. They say the ball is very slick and has a cheap feel. My next question is, does anyone know if the balls are already custom made to be broken in for the NBA players to use in the games, or are they broken in over the course of the game(s)?

 

[Bert.]

NBA game balls are different from store bought game balls.

Yes im 100% sure since ive had both. Store bought game balls are terrible and dont bother even buying one, if you want it for the hell of it then make sure you get it dirt cheap even if you have money to waste.

 

[Kobekobe]

i read somewhere that they're broken in. i have a friend who has one, and i hated it. but just like any ball, it takes some time getting used to

 

[dwele farooq al suleed afzul]

The game balls are used for a very long time to be broken in. I have had an actual NBA used one and a store bought official one and didn't find either to be better. Like someone said, they're hard, plasticy feeling and slippery except for when they are wet. I have had the current one I have over a yr and it still doesn't feel nice. I can hoop with it because I have big strong hands, but it's never the ball of choise. Just get a Wilson Evolution, Solution, Wave, or a Spalding TF, or even The Rock series by Anaconda Sports

 

[cj003]

yes they are broken in before they are used in a game. the home team gets a handful of balls (pause) and each team chooses one player to pick one, usually the teams point guards. the ball the two players pick is the one used for the game.

 

[Bert.]

i had a brand new game ball from the Pistons and wasnt even comparable to brand new store bought ball. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME. the only ball that was same as store bought was the composite ball.

 

[kdawg]

I knew a guy who bought one when we were in HS but it was pretty bad - partly because of the variety of surfaces we had and we just took it out the box and didn't think about breaking it in - it was hard and rough and you couldn't grip it at all. My composite Spalding was infinitely better (plus his was trashed in a few months and I still have mine in nice condition and that was 15 years ago).

But, I once had the chance to play on a really nice wooden court (the Dream Team practiced there so it was top notch) and they had a whole rack of leather balls and they were beautiful - the feel and bounce was great.

For general use you definitely just want a decent composite (I mostly use a Wilson at the moment but I have a couple of Spalding's that are nice too) but for a clean indoor court those balls were amazing.

 

[airjordan jb23]

When they're broken in they're

I had no complaints...

 

[youngmoney]

 

[dwele farooq al suleed afzul]

^ the one they got rid of? I've never hooped with one of those

 

[uptownsdotnetstacky]

^^^That one was the worse non-Baiden ball I've ever played with.....the best rock HANDS DOWN is the Wilson Wave

 

[truthgetsbusy]

I played with one when I did this D-League thing.  Takes some getting used to especially if your hands aren't huge.

 

[japanair21]

I mostly play outdoor, as most indoor balls suck.

I use this.

 

[youngmoney]

damn just looking at that ball i know the grip would be money

 

[japanair21]

It's a hand-gasm.

 

[viewtiful mik3]

are yall serious about the wave?

that ball is like the fisher price of basketballs

we got cheaters up in here

 

[kaycurrency]

Originally Posted by jcollector

I've always wondered why I've never seen this ball used by the general public ( besides the issue of the $80+ price tag). My question was answered after reading many customer reviews online. People seem to hate it. They say the ball is very slick and has a cheap feel. My next question is, does anyone know if the balls are already custom made to be broken in for the NBA players to use in the games, or are they broken in over the course of the game(s)?

I own 2....The balls used in the games are broken in during practices...

The ball is hard as hell straight out of the box...but once its broken in, its the best feeling ball on the market...its not slippery at all when its wet, unlike the Wilson Evolution, TF-1000 and any other composite ball....

 

[jcollector]

Originally Posted by KayCurrency

Originally Posted by jcollector

I've always wondered why I've never seen this ball used by the general public ( besides the issue of the $80+ price tag). My question was answered after reading many customer reviews online. People seem to hate it. They say the ball is very slick and has a cheap feel. My next question is, does anyone know if the balls are already custom made to be broken in for the NBA players to use in the games, or are they broken in over the course of the game(s)?

I own 2....The balls used in the games are broken in during practices...

The ball is hard as hell straight out of the box...but once its broken in, its the best feeling ball on the market...its not slippery at all when its wet, unlike the Wilson Evolution, TF-1000 and any other composite ball....

I'll have to check it out. I've heard that it's unlike any other ball on the market..

  

 

[kaycurrency]

Im warning you now... If you bring a brand new official NBA ball to the gym, no ones gonna wanna play with it

Ever since I've started to play with mines, I now hate Composite balls... but 8/10 times the majority of the people you hoop with will choose the Evolution, solution or the TF-1000 over the NBA ball

 

[mister friendly]

Originally Posted by KayCurrency

Im warning you now... If you bring a brand new official NBA ball to the gym, no ones gonna wanna play with it

Ever since I've started to play with mines, I now hate Composite balls... but 8/10 times the majority of the people you hoop with will choose the Evolution, solution or the TF-1000 over the NBA ball

Exactly

People are stupid. Most idiots at would rather play with outdoor balls or a Evoultion a really worn ball TF 1000. Me personally I rather play with a NBA Game ball or FIBA game ball, I wanna play with a ball the pros play with not one that"feels better"
  

 

[everysingletime]

I have small baby hands but I've never had a problem handling the official ball.

 

[GQK44]

They're good, it just takes forever to break them in. It's the same way with footballs

 

[Bert.]

I dont even like the Evolution, very light and small IMO.

a nice broken in regular TF-1000 is the best ball hands down.

 

[mercutio]

I've played with a couple broken in NBA game balls and the feeling is totally different than a new one. It's almost as if they're not the same balls at all, almost like the new one had to have been beaten with a stick and softened up and then inflated. Experience: half-time shots and ball rebounder.

 

[kaycurrency]

Originally Posted by Zyzz

I dont even like the Evolution, very light and small IMO.

a nice broken in regular TF-1000 is the best ball hands down.

Yeah, I hate the Evolution...its too damn soft and when its wet its hard to handle....