Imagine watching your child or the children you’re coaching (whatever your situation is) play a game of basketball with a super cheap and crappy rubber ball. That is not what good indoor basketball sounds like.
Let’s be honest here, it isn’t fun playing with a basketball like that, and it’s not comfortable either.
At the school I went to, most of the balls were flat, made from cheap rubber, and the only ball pump was on its last life, and we had a tough time trying to pump anything up with it.
I said to myself, “I just want a good indoor basketball to have fun with and have an easier time to improve my game.”
After all, how will any kid improve their game without having fun? Right?
Good basketball players are not born; they are MADE!
It will make children into great shooters and dribblers and all-around great basketball players with a good enough basketball!
Wilson NCAA Replica Basketball: A Good Indoor Basketball
Material
Composite leather makes up most good indoor basketballs, such as this one I’m talking about in this article. This material is cheaper than genuine leather, feels much softer, and doesn’t dry out or wear out as fast as any other leather ball type.
Does this mean the ball is less durable? Yes.
Even though this basketball is less durable, it offers more grip, something cheap rubber outdoor balls lack.
However, I’ve mostly been using this basketball outdoors, so I recommend using it indoors since composite leather basketballs tend to get slick over time, from my own personal experience.
Air Retention & Bounce
Bounce is an important factor for a basketball, but as with air retention, I can not remember the last time I had to pump it up with air; this is coming from a guy who uses it outdoors most of the time!
With this good indoor basketball, using a ball pump will be a rarity as running out of air won’t be a problem.
For children, this is a great ball for shooting, as it has deep grooves (also known as the laces on the ball), allowing for better control, but not too deep to the point where the bounce becomes unreliable when dribbling.
There is no 100 percent accurate way of telling how much air pressure a ball has inside. Here is a quick test young players can carry out to ensure the ball has a nice bounce.
Drop the basketball from face level. If it bounces under the waistline, it’s underinflated; if it bounces over the waistline, it shows the basketball is over-inflated.
Grip, Size & Price
To improve their game, young players need to have good control over the basketball, whether it’s shooting, dribbling, passing, etc. Although sweaty hands and moisture can cause you to lose grip of the basketball, with this one, it wasn’t a problem because it’s moisture absorbent.
This indoor basketball comes in two sizes, size 6 (which has a circumference of 28.5 inches) and size 7 (which has a circumference of 29.5 inches). For young players aged 9-12, a size 6 is a good size for a standard youth ball.
I’m guessing when you typed into google, “good indoor basketball,” you weren’t looking for the “best” ball that’ll cost you a fortune, but instead, a good enough basketball that’s budget-friendly.
Well, I’ve got some good news for you. This one cost me about £30 (somewhere around $38), but I think now they come even cheaper than that.
Making sure a good indoor basketball lasts and stays that way
I’m going to state the obvious here and say that no basketball is invincible. However, it is possible to make it last several years by following these tips I’m about to give you.
Using the basketball on the correct surface is essential. Over time, the ball’s grip gets destroyed when using it outside on gravel and concrete; unless you want an easy time tearing the material apart like I did when using it on concrete, I wouldn’t advise doing this.
Keeping a good indoor basketball clean. Now, I’m not saying you have to clean the ball every day, but cleaning it once in a while will surely help it last longer.
Dust and dirt will make their way through basketball’s, making it more slippery. This basketball may be equipped with special Wilson technology; not taking care of it equals a harder time for children to improve their basketball skills.
Using leather shampoo and water (taking immediate action to dry the ball out so the surface doesn’t get destroyed) is a good way of keeping the basketball clean and shiny. However, because this basketball is moisture absorbent, it does a great job keeping water and dust out.
Bonus tip: be aware of what’s on the court. Whether the child is playing indoors or outdoors, you do not want the basketball crashing into something sharp or something that can alter the basketball’s shape. Also, try to avoid kicking the basketball at all costs, which could also lead to lumps on the ball.
Why is this a good indoor basketball for children?
Children aged 9-12 or under will not have a strong grip. Young players will also develop poor shooting technique if the ball is too heavy, resulting in kids “muscling” the ball.
Like football or baseball, basketball requires a lot of turn in the hips, waist, and shoulders. This is where the power comes from, not “chucking” or “lobbing” the ball.
Pick the smallest size possible to avoid these bad habits, as they will become challenging to correct once these children get older and don’t forget, stronger.
When it comes to weight and size
Most “heavy to hold” basketballs are made up of tough rubber.
Why are they so heavy, you ask? Because they have to withstand harsh surfaces, such as asphalt, granite, and concrete.
I wouldn’t recommend these balls as I think they could be very uncomfortable for younger players to use, unlike this basketball, which’s very light and comfortable.
Durability
Although this basketball is less durable than others, its durability is good enough for younger kids aged 9-12 or under to enjoy and have fun using and improving. This basketball is nice, and sturdy meaning kids will have an easier time bouncing the ball too.
Let’s face it. No kid wants to struggle when dribbling a flat, weakly built ball during games or practice. It just brings the fun out of basketball.
How will this basketball affect their skills?
Basketball shooting and dribbling are both in a way similar to each other. I will now tell you how your child can take advantage of the perks that come with this basketball to improve their skills.
Shooting
For kids to get an awesome start to their shot, having a good grip on the ball is vital. Here are some things they can do in combination with the basketball’s natural grip.
Make sure that their grip is wide on the basketball (especially the shooting hand) but also comfortable for them at the same time.
I prefer to make it almost the full length of the ball. By doing this, they’re fully utilizing the grip from the ball because they’re covering as much of the surface area as possible with their finger pads.
Having the index/middle finger centered in that grip will help more with control. Even when there are sweat and moisture on the young player’s hands, the material will help absorb it, doubling the control and grip they have over the basketball.
Making sure they place their shooting hand fully on the ball, both palm and fingers, will also allow for better control. This way, the kid’s hand is taking full advantage of the basketball’s material grip, giving them even more control.
When taking all this into account, the child will then extend the arm upwards, flicking the basketball with the wrist and having good rotation since they’ve combined technique with the make of the basketball.
When the ball comes over the head, that’s when it will come off the palm, using only the finger pads and the grip from the basketball to flick it for good rotation. With this being a good indoor basketball, the offhand should then slide off nice and smooth.
Dribbling
The same goes for dribbling. Using the finger pads by having a nice wide grip on the basketball will help them utilize the ball’s natural grip giving them more control over the ball and bounce.
This is important because, when dribbling, you’re moving in all sorts of directions.
Kids shouldn’t be dribbling with their fingertips because they won’t use the basketball’s elements to help with grip and control if they do. Having good hip flexibility will also help to control the ball when dribbling.
Many younger kids are still growing and having growth spurts. Still, at the same time, their hips get tighter and tighter. They can do some excellent stretching exercises involving this replica, giving it another reason why it’s a good indoor basketball.
Stationary dribbling drills are best for kids who want to improve their dribbling, as this will help them focus more on getting used to the ball’s feel.
Final Thoughts: is this good indoor basketball Worth Buying?!
The Wilson NCAA Replica Basketball is, for sure, a very good indoor basketball for children. The most important thing is that it’s got the right perks to help improve a child’s shooting and dribbling, helping them become better as they get older and stronger.
I mean, you want to get a good indoor basketball, don’t you?
You and I both know children don’t need some “best basketball that’s out of this world.” As long as it’s an enjoyable basketball that kids will have an awesome time improving their skills with, it’s good enough. “Buy now,” if I say so myself, haha.
Using the tips that I’ve provided from this article will help your kid lots when improving their game, especially with a ball like this one.
Compare the Wilson NCAA Replica basketball to those crappy cheap rubber or foam balls, and I think it’s a no brainer.
I hope you found this article helpful! If you have any other questions, please leave them in the comments below! I’ll make sure to reply ASAP.