I think you should give this article a good read as it will show you what the best indoor basketball ball looks like and why it’s the best and how it can help improve your skills.
Imagine walking into practice during college, having to use one of their basketballs compared to the awesome and cool balls everyone else brings in that they bought themselves.
When I was in college, this was a similar case for me, except the ones my college used were total utter crap, almost as bad as those I used in secondary school (high school).
At first, you might think this one isn’t for you, just like with all other basketballs people use for the first time. BUT…
Once you get used to it (which won’t take very long), you will not regret it!
I have put a considerable amount of time and research into choosing the best possible basketball for collegiate players to improve their skills quickly and easily to reach their full potential.
I hope this article helps you out a lot by giving you my utmost honest opinion of the ball.
Baden Perfection Elite Game Ball: Best Indoor Basketball Ball For College
The Spalding and Wilson brand of basketball is, without a doubt, the most popular. However, the Baden company really listens to the player’s opinions, so they decided to make the best indoor basketball ball for collegiate players to use in-game or in-practice.
Material
The material of any basketball, no matter what brand, determines whether it’s an indoor or outdoor ball.
The Baden Elite basketball is made up of synthetic/composite leather, which isn’t real leather, but the kind of material that the best indoor basketball ball should be made of.
This results in not breaking into the basketball as it is “ready to perform” straight out of the box.
The Baden Elite has a perfect balance of softness and playability because of its microfiber cover, which provides the collegiate player with superior grip and just the right amount of tack for optimum basketball control.
Not to mention, it has amazing moisture absorption too!
You can only achieve perfection by designing for athletes. This basketball uses the best materials and pays attention to every detail, making it the best indoor basketball ball for college.
The channels are slightly wide and deep, but the patterns and pebbles are made to a basic standard on this indoor basketball. It offers more grip and is a lot softer than rubber, so it works well on an indoor court and has a great feel.
Although this basketball features Cushion Controlled Technology, some people say it feels firmer and less cushioned compared to the Wilson Evolution.
But, this basketball is VERY underrated and is similar to the Spalding Precision (a great basketball for high school), with the only difference being, it’s more focused on feel than grip.
Grip & Feel
Since this indoor basketball is more focused on feel than grip, it removes the factor of having too much grip even after using it for some time, and losing grip on this ball will not be a problem.
It comes with a strong moisture grip, which gives the collegiate player a high-level ball control throughout the game or practice and avoids the Wilson Evolution’s sticky feeling whilst having a much better comfortable feel to it.
Having slight wide and deep rubber channels provides the player with additional grip to help with shooting and dribbling in particular. What people have to understand is that the cover of the Baden Elite is the main reason why feel outweighs grip, not the size of the channels.
Right from the beginning, the Baden Elite has the perfect amount of tackiness and grip and stays that way for a very long time. You’ll have an easier time trying to palm this basketball whilst enjoying an incredible feel too.
The most hyped factor of a basketball? Grip. Because EVERYBODY wants to palm the basketball.
The Baden Elite’s main benefit is its super amazing feel stopping the basketball from becoming too grippy to the point where it becomes unusable and uncomfortable.
Unlike outdoor rubber balls, this one feels and reacts naturally. Even though I’ve said grip is overhyped, it’s still an important factor to consider. This is one of the main reasons why I think the Baden Elite is the best indoor basketball ball for collegiate players.
Another reason why the Baden Elite provides you with such a grip is that, compared to other indoor basketballs, it is slightly bigger in weight.
Bounce
The Baden Elites patented Cushion Controlled Technology (CCT) gives the player a truer bounce. Also, you know how a ball does that thing where it hits the rim and goes flying? Yeah, the Baden Elite won’t do that because of the CCT.
Its elite perfection design ensures you won’t feel lumps or get inconsistent bounces as it is engineered to be a perfectly balanced indoor basketball with a very keen and consistent bounce.
A low amount of air pressure can have a huge effect on the ball’s bounce but for the most part, having a horrible bounce is the result of a low-quality cheap ball.
The Baden Elite doesn’t have a super high bounce and bounces at almost the same height every time, which is great because it won’t be hard to control and bounces high enough to the point it doesn’t feel lifeless.
Deeper grooves are often an obstacle when it comes to dribbling, but not with this basketball!
After all, the Baden Elite is specifically designed for dribbling, so I’d say the bounce is pretty reliable on this ball.
Fun Fact: The Baden Elite comes with a feature called the “Stealth Soft Valve System,” an almost invisible air valve that helps with bounce.
Air Retention
Air pressure in a basketball should be between 7.5 and 8.5 psi (pounds per square inch). If a basketball is consistently losing air, then it’s time to buy the best indoor basketball ball, the Baden Elite.
Air retention should not be a problem with this basketball. You only need to check the ball’s air retention during wintertime, but a pump is pretty much not needed for the Baden Elite.
Everyone knows it’s no fun playing with a basketball that is always losing air. The advanced technology Baden has used for this basketball terminates this problem; therefore, it is no longer a concern.
If you’re unsure about the basketball’s exact air pressure range, you can find it imprinted on the Baden Elite (around the area where you insert the pump into it). The quality bladder underneath the composite leather material is the number one reason it has good air retention.
For those of you looking for the best indoor basketball ball that has great air retention, the Baden Elite seems to have the best air retention around.
Durability
Durability will 100% not be a problem with this ball as it is durable to the extreme!
Indoor basketballs need to have decent durability as they are more expensive than durable rubber outdoor basketballs. Also, outdoor balls have built-in outdoor durability, whereas indoor balls have indoor durability.
As long as you stick to playing indoors with the Baden Elite, you don’t have to worry about durability since players won’t use it on rough outdoor surfaces.
Quick note: Just because Baden isn’t as popular as Spalding or Wilson doesn’t mean it’s a lower quality brand!
I would not advise using this basketball outside as it would not last long, considering it has a soft exterior. The more high-quality a basketball’s material is, the more durable it is, which in this case, the Baden Elite is as high quality as can be. Also, the Cushioned Control Technology (CCT) gives it a longer-lasting life.
Adding in a good care routine towards this basketball will help it last several years, but the majority of its forever lasting longevity is due to the incredible durability.
Size & Cost
No matter which basketball league you play in, checking the specifications for official game balls is important. Keep in mind, if you use two different sizes when practicing or in games, you might end up shooting bricks.
As far as I know, the Baden Elite is available in two sizes:
Size 7 with a 29.5-inch circumference (75 centimeters) and is the perfect size for male collegiate players. It is the size used for high school (secondary school) all the way up to the NBA.
Size 6 with a 28.5-inch circumference (72 centimeters) is used more often for younger players, such as children, high school players, or female collegiate players.
To sum it all down, since the size 7 version of the Baden Elite is bigger, it becomes a much better choice for college basketball.
The higher quality composite leather or genuine leather will be a big influence when it comes to the cost of the best indoor basketball ball because higher quality can give you years of practice and play, unlike a lot of outdoor balls made from cheap rubber crap.
Like other great basketballs, the best indoor basketball ball for college (Baden Elite) is priced between $50-$100 or £30-£100.
Taking care of the basketball
If you want this ball to maintain its high quality for years to come, taking good care of it and having a good routine is important.
By sticking to using this basketball indoors (especially since this one has a soft exterior) and avoiding bouncing it outside as much as possible since gravel and concrete can easily tear the material apart, the quality will stay the same, and longevity will increase.
Even though I’ve talked about the Baden Elite being able to maintain its shape, I still wouldn’t advise kicking it or even bouncing it off the wall.
Then again, it’s almost impossible for this basketball to get out of shape.
Keeping the Baden Elite clean and dry will also help keep it to a perfect standard. Using a mixture of leather shampoo and water (drying the ball straight after) will help wash away the dust and dirt that makes its way into the cracks.
Remember to keep the basketball away from any harmful object, even when using it indoors. Removing extra items on the court will stop the Baden Elite from crashing into something sharp that could potentially alter its shape, or in serious cases, pop the basketball.
Why is this the best indoor basketball ball for college?
Now, the Baden Elite’s microfiber cover makes shooting and dribbling a lot more enjoyable and comfortable for the collegiate player.
Besides, how are you meant to improve at basketball without having fun doing it? Right!?.
Baden Elite equals an easier time shooting, providing an awesome grip and feel to it with a soft touch, more control, and a truer bounce.
The symmetrical design will make sure there are no lumps, so collegiate players using it during practice and games will have an easier and more comfortable time with dribbling and shooting.
This basketball will help you reach your full potential whether you’re putting in hours practicing your free throws, passes, or draining threes. This is the best indoor basketball ball for when it comes to practicing dribbling moves (like the crossover, for instance) and will help you get more ankle breakers.
You can practice dribbling and passing without a hoop but not without a basketball! You will improve dribbling effortlessly with this basketball, and you can even practice at home or in your college dorm room.
It’s a specific ball made for competitive and elite players to be used in-practice and in-game. It is best suited for advanced collegiate players; even if you can’t palm the basketball, it equips the player with a tremendous feel to help with ball handling and shooting.
One thing about college basketball is you’re likely playing very long games, so your hands are for sure going to be sweaty. Like I mentioned before, with the Baden Elite basketball, this won’t be a problem as it will absorb the sweat to stop it from becoming slippery.
All in all, this is the best indoor basketball ball for college to practice your skills with as it will carry over that great consistency into games.
How can this indoor basketball improve a collegiate player’s skills?
In college, speed doesn’t dominate like the high school (secondary school) level. There are more athletes with speed. So, for the collegiate players, they have to develop more consistent jump shots and ball-handling by working on the right mechanics with the best indoor basketball ball for college.
Shooting
The finger of the shooting hand addresses the release, the grip, and the follow-through that gives the shooter great control over the Baden Elite.
The offhand addresses the non-shooting hand and arm and how best to guide the ball and balance the shooter.
FINGER
Michael Jordan was an index finger shooter, and so was Kobe Bryant. The best shooters of the game, without a doubt, dominate the game with their index finger. Dating back all the way to Pistol Pete Maravich’s days, he was the first one to use the finger release as that’s what his father taught him.
It’s easy! When you shoot, align the index finger through the basket as the other fingers are pointing out. This will make sure your shot stays straight every single time. Here are a few steps you can take to make this as simple as possible:
- Hold the Baden Elite with index finger in middle
- Put your index finger above and through the rim (It should be pointing straight down through the basket, and the other fingers should be flaring out away from you)
- Hold your follow-through
This will help you build muscle memory along with the feel and weight of the Baden Elite.
Using the best indoor basketball ball for college will help make all of this as familiar as possible. If you’re an elite college player, it could take you five minutes to get this component down, if you’re using the Baden Elite, of course.
OFFHAND:
There are good off hands, and then there are not so good off hands. The offhand is important because it gives you guidance and balance over the Baden Elite. For example, let’s look at divers. Divers bring their hands together to give them better balance and control.
College players today drop or drag the offhand, which causes tension and imbalance with their shot. In the past, the offhand and the shooting hand went up together and down together. This basketball is heavy enough, so you don’t want to add extra weight to your shot.
Here is the plan:
- When you’re shooting, make sure to keep the offhand straight and touch just below the wrist on the shooting arm. This will give you a great offhand helping you maintain balance throughout the shot.
- The offhand’s elbow should not point downward or forward, but instead, it should point out to the side. This will give you a similar pose to an archer, which will help you maintain balance and accuracy throughout your shot.
Dribbling
I will now tell you how the best indoor basketball ball for college can improve your dribbling moves, including the crossover, between the legs, behind the back, and the in and out.
Crossover:
Now, the basic crossover is used to change direction. Having a great, trustworthy bounce will help the player keep the ball due to its consistency. The Baden Elite will help you maintain the bounce’s height consistency, making the crossover easier to use.
Between the legs:
This is another move all players need to have in their arsenal. It is used to switch directions quicker by stopping and crossing over between the legs. Going between the legs helps you protect the ball from the defender, and the grip and feel will help you control the ball without losing it during this move’s procedure.
Behind the back:
The more advanced the moves get, the better they are against defenders, and with the Baden Elite being made for ball handling, these moves will become second nature. This move is also great for shielding off the defender and changing direction at the same time. Against serious pressure, the ball’s elements will help you maintain control at all times.
In & Out:
Unlike the others, this move is used more for changing speed, changing pace, and changing actual height. It’s a great move to freeze the defender, and it’s simple. This is where all of the Baden Elites elements really help you out, giving you an easier time combining this move with things like the pull up jump shot or driving towards the basket.
Wrapping Up: The Best Indoor Basketball Ball For College
When you think about it, this basketball will help you out a lot through college. Hopefully, more than the balls your college provides you with.
It’s taken me a while to discover the best indoor basketball ball for college. Still, using it to your advantage will help your skills out a lot; as long as you follow the helpful tips from this article, you will find enjoyment and comfort in using the Baden Elite.
Comparing it to other “best” indoor basketball balls for indoors, such as the Wilson Evolution, TF-1000, Spalding NBA official game ball, etc. This is the most complete ball for collegiate shooters and dribblers, so choosing this one is a no-brainer.
Don’t forget…clean the ball!
You don’t have to make it squeaky clean and shiny, but having a simple routine and using a cloth is enough, helping the Baden Elite last several years. Heck, it should last you all the way through college!
I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful! If you have any other questions or any feedback on what type of articles you want more (e.g., a top 5 list), please leave it in the comments below! I’ll make sure to reply ASAP!
As always, happy balling!