Basketball Sizes

Posted by delia on November 21st, 2020

Basketball Sizes – Suggested Basketball Size According to Age

 

 Basketball sizes vary for athletes of different age and gender. It is not recommended for a boy under 14 years to play with official NBA size basketball. In the same way, a basketball professional female uses slightly smaller basketball as compared to men. In case you are wondering what are the different sizes of basketball, this article will definitely help you to find the right size basketball.

Is it important to choose the correct basketball size? Yes, of course it is important to choose the correct size of basketball for good practice of ball handling and shooting. Particularly, players intend to develop bad habits with different size ball. As a result, they will find it difficult to undo those habits. Therefore, it is necessary to practice with the right size ball to feel the weight, and for better dribbling and passing.

Also, young players intend to lose interest in the game if they find the ball too heavy or feeling less grip on it. A basketball player should find the shooting and hooping exciting, and that is only possible if he/she plays with the recommended basketball size.

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Basketball Size – Different Basketball Sizes According to Age

A list of basketball sizes with their circumferences, weight and recommended age is below;

Basketball Size

Circumference

Weight

Recommended Age

Size 7

29.5 inches

22 oz

Teenager boys above 15 and adult men. This is official size of professional (like NBA), high school and college basketball leagues.

Size 6

28.5 inches

20 oz

Official size for women basketball professional, high school and college leagues.

Boys from 12 to 14 years

Size 5

27.5 inches

17 oz

Standard size youth basketball available in most of the stores. Suitable for both genders of 9 to 11 years.

Size 4

25.5 inches

14 oz

Children friendly size from 5 to 8 years

Size 3

22 inches

10 oz

Mini basketball for children from 4 to 8 years.

Size 1

16 inches

8 oz

Small basketball for kids from 2 to 4 years.

Playing with the Correct Basketball

You might have noticed a slight difference in the size and weight but it makes a huge difference while shooting the ball. You lose the grip due to a little extra circumference and your shots will not be accurate because of the weight. So, we suggest you to practice with the recommended basketball size to improve your skills and enjoy the game.

In my own experience, I improved my skills even while playing basketball for fun. Once you start playing with the right sized basketball, your focus remains on performance and not on the ball handling. As a result, you improve your dribbling techniques and enhance the shooting performance along with enjoying the game.

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Advantages of Playing with Right Basketball

  • Playing with the right size of basketball will not put too much of stress on your wrists and shoulders
  • Basketball is a rapid game where players need to stay focus all the time for next moves. Thus, if you are playing with correct ball, your focus will not divide into ball handling or gripping
  • Since it is about controlling the ball with your hands, long passes or aggressive dribbles can cause wrist or arm injury if the ball is over weighted
  • Athletes intend to develop habits in the sports, thus, playing with the right ball is an advantage even if you feel it awkward in the beginning

 

 

 

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delia

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delia
Joined: November 21st, 2020
Articles Posted: 3

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