Imagine scrolling through the web or searching local shops for an indoor basketball ball only to find way too many to choose from….
My friend, look no further! This problem has now been eliminated.
When I was in high school (secondary school), you’d have to run into the storage room before practice to be the first one to get one of the good indoor basketball balls (there were about 5 out of 30).
If you weren’t part of the storage room top five winners (which I definitely was not part of), you were stuck with either a crappy and almost unusable ball, which by the way, was dirty and wrecked from being used all the time outdoors.
I will show you in this article what I consider to be a great indoor basketball ball judging from the countless hours of research I have done on it and friends who have used it.
During my research time, I experienced lists of the so-called “best” indoor basketballs out there, and let me tell ya…..most of them are for sure not the best!
But if you want to know what a great indoor basketball ball looks like, I’m hoping this article provides an honest answer for you than I got before finding this one.
All you need to know: Spalding Precision indoor basketball ball
Material
Unlike most indoor basketballs made out of composite leather, this one is made out of very durable Eco-Grip composite leather and doesn’t have that slippery “out of the box” feel.
But what does Eco-Grip tell me? It tells you it’s “recycle material,” meaning it’s 100% recyclable and a good indoor basketball ball for the environment. Here’s another unique thing about this basketball. It has a great feel to it, and the bright colour of this special material makes it stand out like a t-rex on a court.
This is a softer material compared to those rubber outdoor basketballs, which are actually pretty heavy and a lot less comfortable.
It’s a known fact that composite leather and genuine leather balls have a familiar feel to them. With the added Eco-Grip, this basketball will have a much better feel than a genuine leather ball, and it’s much cheaper.
The Spalding Precision also has deep grooves (black laces on the ball), providing a good and natural feel. The channels aren’t too wide or too deep either and are made from rubber.
Grip
Eco-Grip on this indoor basketball ball gives you a game ready grip and soft feel right out of the box. Keep in mind a downside to this is that it may be a bit too grippy for a player’s liking. Then again, you do not want it to have minimal grip either.
Due to sweaty hands and moisture, you might lose that extra grip, but the amazing feel of it would still be there.
Having a good grip is a positive factor when shooting any shot or even when palming the basketball.
However, at one point, NBA players complained about genuine leather basketballs having too much grip, and genuine leather is grippier than composite leather.
I’ve got to be honest; I don’t even know if there is another indoor basketball ball out there with a solid grip matching a smooth feel like this one.
High school players have to remember that “feel” is also an important factor in picking a good indoor basketball ball. Good grip means nothing without a comfortable feel. I think Spalding Precision has the perfect balance of grip and feel for the player.
Bounce & Air Retention
A basketball constantly losing air is very annoying and an absolute pain in the backside. The Spalding Precision has a butyl bladder (a rubber material underneath the outer cover) for superb air retention and excellent structural integrity, along with a cushioned carcass giving it a realistic, consistent bounce.
For an indoor basketball, standard air pressure is between 7.5 and 8.5 pounds (3 – 4kg). When buying the Spalding Precision, it should already come inflated. If it doesn’t come inflated for whatever reason, I recommend pumping it up to an 8 PSI (pounds per square inch).
For the most part, the ball pump will be pretty much sat in your shed collecting dust as it’s likely not needed (a little bit during winter…maybe).
Over inflating can be harmful to an indoor basketball ball as it makes it harder for the player to shoot and can cause lumps, and under inflating will make it unplayable.
Lucky for you, maintaining its roundness is a feature this basketball comes with.
Can I test the bounce myself? Of course!
All you need to do to test the bounce is by dropping it at chest height. If it bounces up just below chest level, the air pressure is good enough.
I’ve heard of people testing a basketball by placing it in the fridge for 24hrs… why would anyone want to waste their time doing that? It sounds stupid when you could be spending that time practicing instead.
When it comes to any Spalding basketball, the pebbling design is traditional. This does not matter as it has zero effect on bounce or air retention.
Size & Price
As far as I know, this basketball comes in just two sizes. An intermediate size (which I would recommend for high school teens aged 12-16 as it’s smaller and lighter) and an official size too. The “official” size is the ball they use in High School basketball games all the way up to the NBA. Here are both of the sizes:
- Intermediate – size 6 with a circumference of 28.5 inches
- Official – size 7 with a circumference of 29.5 inches
The Spalding Precision is also NFHS approved (National Federation of State High School Association) and the state ball for Maryland. Also, it is the official ball for the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union).
If your son/daughter is part of a basketball team (or yourself if you’re in high school/secondary school), it is your responsibility to check the ball’s specifications.
As most indoor basketball balls don’t tend to come cheap, I would look to spend about $50 – $80 since indoor basketballs are usually +$50 (£39).
I recommend buying a size 6 because I heard something about the balls being about an inch bigger than what they actually say to be. Without being said, for high school players who are a bit more advanced, you can get away with using the bigger size, size 7.
The weight, feel, and flight of a basketball is important when players start developing muscle memory.
Cheap basketballs won’t save you money.
They’re not as high quality as the Spalding Precision, for example, and will need to be replaced time and time again, whereas this one can last you several years! (if you stick to using it indoors, that is).
Durability & Looking after an indoor basketball ball
The Spalding Precision, unlike normal composite leather balls, is made from very durable material.
An indoor basketball ball, in my opinion, needs to have decent durability, keeping in mind they’re more expensive than outdoor balls, which come with excellent durability. The Spalding Precision is known to be very durable for indoor basketball.
It’s good to know that a street basketball has a different type of durability specifically made for outdoor use, and an indoor ball’s durability is made for indoor use.
Now, onto looking after it. When you take these tips I’m about to give you into consideration, the Spalding Precision basketball will last a whole lot longer (like putting the ball on steroids).
Keeping this indoor basketball ball clean:
Have people ever told you not to worry about this since indoor courts don’t get dusty or dirty? If the answer is yes, they’re liars. Basketballs can become more slippery if dust and dirt get into the crevices, making it harder to carry out basic skills like shooting or dribbling.
I always recommend a mixture of leather shampoo and water and drying it straight after not to worsen the surface.
The longevity of an indoor basketball ball, such as the Spalding Precision, depends on whether or not you’re using it indoors or outdoors. Very rough surfaces like gravel or concrete will, for a fact, decrease longevity.
Remember to look out for sharp and pointy objects like broken glass when using it outside and even inside. In short, try to avoid bouncing it outside as much as possible, for example, on the way to the gym.
However, the same applies for indoors. I would not advise kicking it or bouncing it off the wall, considering how much indoor basketballs cost.
Why is this a good indoor basketball ball for high school teens?
The Spalding Precision is designed for beginner and intermediate level players, to be specific. Since many high school players (aged between 12-16) are beginners, this is a great indoor basketball ball for them to use.
When it comes to basketball shooting and dribbling, training your skills is like building a house. It starts from the foundation, and you have to have the foundational skills before you can become an elite player.
You can have the biggest and coolest house ever, but if it’s on a weak foundation, that house will fall over.
When shooting, starting from the feet first and not being “squared” to the basket (like most coaches teach) but instead having a slight turn in your feet towards the basket, high school players will learn to keep the shoulder and neck muscles relaxed.
A high school player’s potential will be limitless after using a superb indoor basketball ball to improve their skills as a beginner and build that solid foundation as long as high school players practice the correct fundamentals.
Having this indoor basketball ball by their side will help develop fundamentals whilst keeping them interested and engaged since they’ll be having lots of fun doing it, showing off their amazing ball to others.
Even though every beginner has different needs on what they need to improve on, this indoor basketball ball can easily improve to get to that advanced level much quicker.
If they were to use a horrible cheap basketball (maybe even one that’s not for indoor use), they’d have a harder time improving because a cheap one doesn’t have all the nice qualities and features that the Spalding Precision comes with.
Bonus tip: If a high school player ends up using the official size ball, it will feel like shooting a light sponge when going into practice before a game. Because the Spalding Precision is smaller and lighter, they will have an easier time getting better with it.
High school players can use this indoor basketball’s amazing grip to their advantage. For example, when carrying out a layup, everyone knows you have to hit the top left or top right corner of the black box.
If the player slightly misses that corner, I believe the Spalding Precision properties (grip, for instance) will increase the ball’s chances of going onto the basket.
At the end of the day, it’s all about being comfortable. Like having a comfortable shot, playing with an enjoyable and comfortable basketball will help high school players get to the next level.
How can this indoor basketball ball affect their skills?
Shooting
When it comes to shooting, most beginner high school players miss to the sides. These tips I’m about to give you can help eliminate side misses even faster with the Spalding Precision. Having a cheap crappy ball will only make the player more frustrated.
Using the middle/index finger:
There is a quick test that anyone can do to figure out which finger they should shoot with, the middle or the index finger.
Start by straightening your shooting arm out to the side, spreading out the fingers. Then, you want to align the index and middle finger with your arm. When finished, decide which finger was the straightest since that’s the finger you should be shooting with.
For most people, the index finger is the straightest.
If you’re shooting with a four-finger follow through, then you’re shooting at four different targets. With a two-finger follow through you’re shooting at two targets. Therefore, by shooting with one finger, you’ll be more consistent, shooting at only one target.
The index finger is not only the straightest but also the strongest. But why use it on the Spalding Precision?
It allows for a balanced grip on the basketball in combination with the great feel that this ball comes with and gives a good triangular projection towards the middle of the rim. Having an imbalanced grip on the ball will lead to more misses, and it means you’re not utilizing this ball’s natural grip.
The offhand/guidehand:
Combining the Spalding Precision’s comfortable feel; amazing Eco-Grip with the “glue” to shooting (the offhand), the player will be shooting like Clint Eastwood in his western movies.
The “glue” has two essential purposes. Guiding the basketball to its target and balancing the shooter’s release.
Pulling the offhand out of line with the shot or pulling the offhand down to the side before following through with the shot are the two major problems for beginners. Here are the ways to correctly use the offhand and combine it with the Spalding Precision powers.
- Keep a narrow offhand to the release of the follow-through. This is because the grip of the ball is already maintained by the shooting hand. If the offhand is wide, the ball’s grip will be focused on that hand, meaning you’re guaranteed to miss.
- Raise and point the offhand elbow outward away from the shooter. This will allow for an even greater feel of the ball. If the elbow isn’t pointed outwards, the offhand will become tense, which will result in the player using the Spalding Precision’s super grip to drag the ball down as they shoot.
- Keep the offhand shoulder back and uninvolved with the shot. This will result in a more relaxed shot. If the player’s shoulders become tense, then the shot becomes tense, which equals an uncomfortable time with shooting and this basketball already has enough grip on it.
The offhand will be aligned, relaxed, and balanced with the shot and the basketball by following these three things.
Dribbling
Before beginning any dribbling drills, it is good to carry out a nice warm-up to get a good FEEL for the basketball. Somehow I don’t think warming up will take up much of your time playing with a good indoor basketball since having a super comfortable feel and awesome grip will make things easier.
Beginners can have an easier time looking up whilst dribbling the ball, especially when molding together the deep grooves with the finger pads providing a super killer feel.
When combining good dribbling fundamentals, such as using the finger pads to dribble, flicking the wrist, and fully extending the elbow, the bounce will help the ball stay knee level and below the waist. Also, players will have an easier time with the basketball bouncing back to their hands.
When dribbling the basketball low, it allows for an easier time getting past the defenders. I think you can rely on this ball when using moves like the crossover, between the legs, behind the back, and the in and out to get past defenders. This is because of its natural grip and feel, which helps the ball stay in your hand, and you can always count on a reliable bounce from it.
When carrying out these moves against defenders:
Using the Spalding Precision, you have an advantage against all the other beginners due to this ball’s perks.
The player will be less likely to lose the ball when getting past defenders since this indoor basketball ball has a solid grip.
The reliable bounce it has will allow for a speedy retrieve of the basketball during the bounce and a nice feel when switching hands during a move like a crossover.
This indoor basketball ball can help the player out a lot, mostly since these moves are all about changing direction.
Remember to protect the basketball with your other hand as defenders will cause you to lose the ball. Using the “between the legs” move really helps you protect it from the defender.
It’s also beneficial practicing the in and out move since it’s all about changing speed, changing pace, and changing actual height (the bounce should help the player out with those tremendously), for example, starting high and then getting low with it.
Once you freeze the defender with this move, they will have almost no chance of getting this indoor basketball ball off you. Best part about this move? The in and out has a lot of different uses.
Final Thoughts: Is it worth buying!?
I think the most important thing when choosing an indoor basketball ball is not getting overwhelmed by all the “best” choices out there and overthinking which one to buy.
As far as I know, this ball doesn’t seem to have any problems and is for sure a good enough basketball for high school players. Setting skill aside, it will improve their confidence as a basketball player! Using all these tips in my article should help a LOT – countless hours of research done for you.
What’s the worst that can happen? Could it really be that bad?
If you don’t like the ball, you can always sell it on places like eBay or Craigslist, and when it comes to throwing away the basketball, no problem! After all, it is an environmentally friendly material. Compare it to other indoor basketballs, and it’s a no brainer.
At the end of the day: you might regret not trying it out.
I hope you found this article helpful! If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to leave them in the comments below! I’ll make sure to reply to them ASAP!
Best of luck, and happy balling!