The great thing about basketball, is that in the end, if a player really wants to play, any ball works. As a kid we even used utility balls and soccer balls when a basketball wasn't available.
So if you already have a ball, and your player is just starting out, stick with it until you have a proven desire and need for a higher quality ball.
You may even want to wait until you see which ball is most commonly used in league play before picking a new one to buy.
Ball Sizes
Younger age groups will typically play with smaller size balls. Check out the picture below taken from the Stack ( https://www.stack.com/ ). Check with your team before buying a new ball, not all rep teams/leagues stick to these sizes for the specified age groups.
Outdoor Balls
These are typically rubber or a similar material, and come in a variety of colours. You can use these balls indoor,but they tend to bounce a bit more than classic indoor balls.
Indoor Balls
Balls made specifically for indoor use are typically leather or high quality composite material
While these balls can be used outdoors, they will lose some of the grip as the material tends to be more delicate and not intended for asphalt and gravel.
Our Favourite Ball
This past year we stuck with the Wilson Evolution Indoor Game Basketball, Official – size 29.5.
Great grip with a slightly padded feel, solid bounce, and stayed that way throughout the year. In our house, the player is responsible for marking their ball with their name in Sharpie Black ink, and storing it properly in a sports bag when not in use.
Click on the image to see more details on Amazon.
Disclosure: If you click on the image and buy the ball on amazon, we might get a small commission at no expense to you.
We got ours for about $70 - which is alot, but a fair price for this ball, as it will last several seasons if well looked after.
We don't have a long list of recommendations here because we really do believe that if you're looking for a high quality ball, this is the one. And if you're not ready for this kind of spend - that's perfectly fine, and pretty much any indoor ball will do for practices and gym training.
Keep training, keep playing, keep loving the game!
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