Most Expensive Basketballs

What is the Most Expensive Basketball Ball?

The importance of a quality basketball in a successful game cannot be gainsaid. Have you ever tried to shoot the hoops with a sub-standard rubber basketball? I bet it was not as fun and comfortable as you could expect it to be.

Besides a quality hoop to shoot the ball into and perhaps court markings, a good basketball that meets all the standard regulations will determine the outcome of our game to a large extent.

This applies whether you are just playing basketball on the streets for fun, in school for competitions, or just slum-dunking your opponent as part of your professional game.

As you could expect, there are several types of basketballs that have all been designed for different uses. Some are just well adapted for indoor games, while others are best suited for outdoor games.

Likewise, some come in small sizes while others come in bigger sizes. If you are going to buy a ball to shoot that hoop, you will have to start from somewhere then gradually progress to bigger sizes.

Another important aspect that ought to be considered is the material used to make the ball. Expensive balls will usually prove to be more durable than cheap subpar balls, mostly because the expensive ones are made from quality leather materials.

In this article, we have done our review and made a list of the 5 most expensive balls out there that you might want to try.

 

1. Spalding 

The official ball used by NBA players is by far the most expensive ball among our top 5 picks, having the most expensive price tag on amazon . But hey, remember cheap is expensive. The contrary is also true.

Spalding is 29.5 inches wide in diameter, and weighs a total of 0.73 pounds making it suitable for adults and not children.

Also, this ball has been made from real and genuine Horween leather material. Therefore you can be sure that the ball will serve you for a long time. However, it may be challenging to get used to it at the beginning. Wondering why?

The Horween leather takes a pretty long duration to break in. Before that, controlling the ball might be hard due to the feel of its surface. But once it breaks in, you will love everything about it.

Furthermore, the wide channels on the ball give a player a natural grip. Even for people with sweaty hands, comfort is guaranteed as the material absorbs any sweat or moisture on the surface of their hands, giving a better grip.

If you want to feel just like your best NBA players, this is your go-to ball.

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2. Vincent

This brand of basketball has been designed for all games and is relatively cheaper than our number one product on this list. The ball comes with a standard diameter measuring 29.5 inches and is good for both children and adults, either gender.

The ball is made from a polyurethane material, with a touch of cushion core carcass that makes it soft. This explains why the brand is popular across many basketball courts in America. 

Besides, Vincent basketball has a great microfiber composite cover that makes it easy to grip. It is easy to maneuver around the court with this ball without worrying about lack of control.

The control by the player is further enhanced by the presence of composite channels that run across the ball, giving the ball surface an even and consistent texture. Slipping is thus prevented.

If you want an all-round ball, this brand should look appealing to you. You could use it for your indoor, outdoor as well as street basketball games as it is wear-resistant and it’s built to last.

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3. Wilson Evolution Customized

This basketball by the reputable Wilson Company comes in the official recommended size for men, which is 29.5 inches in diameter. If you want a ball for your indoor games, Wilson will not disappoint you. 

The ball has been made using an original leather material that offers you the best comfort while playing. The leather material gives your ball durability, and it will serve you for a long duration.

Further, you can customize the ball according to your preference. You could choose to have your name written on the ball or some other baller whom you look up to. The good news I that the customized text is permanent, it can’t wear off over time.

Wilson also uses advanced microfiber composite leather that gives the surface of the ball a soft feel and gives a player the best grip he needs to control the ball. What more could you want?

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4. Wilson Evo NXT

This is yet another basketball designed by the famous Wilson Company. The ball is available in both the 29.5-inch diameter (official size model) and the 28.5-inch diameter (the intermediate model).

As such, it serves both players who want to train using the regulation size as well as juniors and women who might want a smaller intermediate ball that works best with their hand sizes. 

Wilson Evo is made from a brown composite leather material and it has a price tag of 85 US dollars on Amazon. The leather has a consistent texture across the entire ball surface, giving players control of the ball.

It is also crafted with a micro-touch cover which makes use of a small layer of texture intended to give the cover a double-layered grip.as if that is not enough, it has been fitted with a wicking system which absorbs moisture.

This gives people with sweaty hands an advantage as the sweat on the cover will dry out giving them a better grip of the ball.

To even increase your ability to shoot the hoop, the ball has some extra cushioning that increases the ability of your fingers to dig deep into its surface. This gives you good control of the ball and you can slum-dunk your opponent with ease.

Finally, this ball uses a great internal construction method which distributes the weight of the ball evenly. As a result, it becomes a lot easier for the player to shoot the ball into the net, however far from the hoop they are.

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5. Wilson NCAA

Even when you are operating on a budget, you still have a shot at finding a quality basketball that meets all requirements you want for your game. To find out your perfect option, just read on.

Wilson NCAA is an official size indoor basketball (29.5 inches in diameter) used in official NCAA basketball championship games. According to Amazon, the ball has a price tag of just 56 US dollars.

The ball has been approved to be used in games by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

It comes in an orange color and is about a pound heavy. This makes it suitable for use by adults of either gender. Let’s talk about the product’s material. The ball is made from a composite leather. You can expect that it will be durable.

It is also fitted with a cover that absorbs moisture and provides players with sweaty hands the comfort and grip that they need to keep the game going. 

Additionally, the ball surface also has a cushion core carcass which gives users a soft feel and makes the ball easier to grip and control. The control is even improved further by the pebble composite channels that run across the ball.

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How to select the best basketball

Now that you are well acquainted with the most expensive basketballs available, this section will guide you through the features that you should consider before settling for one option.

If you are bored, just hang in there. This section is a must-read if you want to be sure that you are making the right investment.

The material

Depending on where and when you want to use your basketball, this is the first feature that you have to consider. As we well know, some balls are best suited for outdoor games, others indoor games, and others both. But do you know why?

Here is the icebreaker.

The material of the ball plays a critical role!

Three main materials are used to design basketballs. They include cheap rubber, genuine leather, and synthetic or composite leather materials. Rubber will mostly be used for outdoor games since it is durable.

Synthetic leather is mostly used with indoor balls as it is soft and offers a great grip, although it is less durable. Genuine leather can be used for both. However, it can be hard to control at first until it finally breaks-in.

Size 

It would be wise to ensure you are buying the right size of the ball especially if you intend to use it in a game that requires adherence to laid down specifications and regulations.

This is the case if you are going to use your ball for school games or any organized league like the NBA and NCAA. The right size will help with your training very much.

Bounce 

This is closely associated with the surface of your ball. Always go for a ball that has a smoother surface as it will give your ball a better bounce. In effect, you have to check the grooves found on your ball. While they give the grip, they can affect the bounce.

Ensure the bounce of your ball is predictable and consistent.

The grip 

You don’t want to play with a ball that you can barely control, as this is going to affect your shooting ability.

As a remedy, check to ensure that the ball has a moisture absorbing surface if you have sweaty hands. This will increase your grip and give you more control.

The grooves and channels on the ball can also significantly increase your grip. The wider the channels, the better. Likewise, the deeper the groves, the better. Just check to ensure that they are not interfering with your dribbling ability by affecting the ball’s bounce.

Conclusion 

Still looking to find out the most expensive balls from the hundreds of options that are already in the market? We were happy to do the research on your behalf and give you the answers.

Now from the top 5 options that we provided you with, we will recommend that you go for the official Spalding NBA basketball. You will have to part with a whopping 149 dollars to get this one.

The ball comes in the exact strict specifications required for a standard NBA regulation ball, including its weight. Therefore, you will be in the same shoes as an NBA player, the only difference being perhaps where you are playing from.

On the bright side, you can be sure that the bounce of the ball will be consistent and even predictable. 

The ball is manufactured from a genuine Horween leather material and will take a long time before it breaks in. This means that you have to brace yourself for some difficulties handling the ball for the first few days or even months.

Even better, it has wide channels and a material that absorbs moisture. These features give you a better grip. Why don’t you get yourself this ball and get the feeling that your favorite NBA idols experience?