NBA Game Basketball

The Wilson Official NBA Game Basketball is built with genuine leather and constructed to meet the world-class standards of the NBA. This is the basketball used by every team and every player, in every game. Great for Autographs as well as play. 

• NBA OFFICIAL: The official ball of the NBA featuring the world-famous NBA logoman
• GENUINE HORWEEN LEATHER COVER: Made from a 100% genuine leather cover that will initially feel slick to the touch. Playing with the basketball will loosen up the leather, giving the ball more grip
• AIR RETENTION: Inflation retention lining allows longer lasting air retention
• NBA PRO SEAMS: New channel construction suited to player preferences
• OFFICIAL SIZE: 29.5", the same size as used in all of the NBA games
• NBA OFFICIAL: Wilson is the official basketball for the NBA. This ball features official NBA branding coupled with the iconic Wilson script and Adam Silver as the commissioner.

Pro Tip: The Official NBA Game Basketball is built with a genuine leather cover that will initially feel slick and rough to the touch. Playing with the basketball will loosen up the leather, giving the ball more grip. Dribbling drills will also help speed up the break in process. The ball will darken as it becomes ready for game play. The more you play, the better it feels.

How to Break In The Wilson Official NBA Game Basketball

When you receive your Official NBA Leather Game Basketball it will initially feel stiff and rough to the touch. Don’t worry— that is exactly how it’s supposed to feel. 

The Official NBA Game Basketball is made with genuine leather which means it will require some breaking in. If you are not used to breaking in your basketball, that means you’re probably used to playing with a composite ball. 

“Properly breaking-in an NBA Game Ball makes a world of a difference,” says Ben DeLaCruz, Sr. Product Line Manager for Performance Basketball & Partnerships. Ben has been at Wilson working on product for many years. 

“Over time the leather becomes soft with a feel that every hooper can appreciate, but you must put in the time to get it to that state. Every NBA Game Ball goes through this process before ever making it to tip-off.”

Why should I break in my leather game basketball?

Simply put, breaking in your leather basketball will give you better control and grip. 

So, what do I need to know about the leather basketball break-in process?

• Don’t be confused when your ball arrives stiff and rough to the touch— that is normal.
• Dribbling drills will help to speed up the break-in process.
• You will notice your ball start to darken as it becomes ready for gameplay.
• The more you play with the ball, the better it will start to feel.

Head to your nearest gym and use these two methods to speed up the break-in process:​

1. Pound Dribbles: To pound dribble, stand with your knees slightly bent and dribble the ball with as much force as you can into the basketball court. The drill will help you practice controlling the ball while also breaking in the leather cover.

2. Get Shots Up: Producing oil and sweat from your hands while doing drills and playing with the ball is the real way to do it. The oils and sweat will darken the surface of the ball. As the ball breaks in, it will be at peak performance when your hands are sweaty. It’s that in-game feel that you want to target— not necessarily how the ball feels pre-game.

Also, the only surface to break your NBA Game Basketball is with is a hardwood floor— not concrete or some other hard surface. This ball is engineered to be played on an indoor basketball court only.

The NBA practices with their new leather basketballs for a couple of weeks before they are game ready, so don’t get disheartened if the process takes a bit longer than you expect. Your ball will slowly turn a dark brown shade as the leather starts to break in.