While you will need your basketball to be inflated to play with, several reasons might account for wanting to take the air out of the ball. You should deflate your ball if you want to store it for the winter or fit it in a suitcase to travel, or you might want to just take out a small amount of air if the ball is over-inflated. For whatever reason, the same technique is used to allow air to escape from a basketball.
Basketball rules require a player to put the ball in play from out of bounds after a stoppage in play. In many cases, inbounding the ball can be quite simple, such as after a made basket in the middle of the game. The player re...
Turnovers are something you want to avoid in basketball. A turnover occurs when you lose the ball to the other team because you broke a rule or physically lost control of the ball through a bad pass or dribble that sent the bal...
Even at the highest levels of basketball, you can't win big if your team is a one-man show. Just ask LeBron James, who, despite being regarded by many as the best player in the world, didn't win a championship while mostly domi...
A brand new leather basketball won't have the feel and grip for which leather balls are known right out of the box. Newer balls made of composite materials don't have the need for a break-in -- they come ready to go right out o...
This manifests itself in hustle plays when a rebound or a loose ball could go to either team. These close plays are 50-50 balls in basketball and the top teams find a way to win most of these battles.
There are few things that drive a basketball coach as crazy as a player committing a turnover. When you lose the ball, you not only allow the other team to race upcourt and often get a high-percentage shot, you also cost your t...
Without it you cannot score and you cannot win. Coaches spend hours devising defensive plans for stealing the basketball from their opponent. But there is one event that is more effective in determining who has possession of th...
Being able to drive the lane and attack the basket are key skills for an effective scoring guard. But when guards attack the basket, they quickly come into the territory of taller opponents. The teardrop shot has elements of a ...
Turnovers can sink a team in basketball. Losing the turnover battle reduces your team's possessions and scoring opportunities while giving the opposition more chances to score. Protecting the basketball is a two-fold process: y...
The jump ball has played a role in every variation of basketball since James Naismith developed the game in 1892. Used to determine which team gets possession, the jump ball has taken on a couple of different meanings in the hi...
A basketball player who has stepped out of bounds can step back in bounds and legally touch the ball. However, whether he's truly in bounds depends on when and where his feet last touched the floor. If he's in midair on his way...
Shooting a basketball with proper form takes only minutes to learn, but you can spend an entire lifetime improving it. Even in the National Basketball Association -- the highest level of basketball competition -- jump shooters ...
Wilson produces dozens of basketballs for professional and recreational use. They range from rubber balls meant for outdoor use to high quality synthetic and composite leather balls. To get the most out of your Wilson ball, you...
The basketball used for NBA games has only changed twice in 60 seasons. The latest change occurred in 2006. The new ball, manufactured by Spalding, has a new design and different feel but the size of the ball didn't change. The...
A basketball that doesn't bounce is a terrible thing. Poor care, improper inflation techniques and other factors can contribute to poor basketball bounces. But one thing that you may not know is how temperature affects the way ...
Learn to use the basketball backboard, and you'll start scoring more points. The backboard is a crucial part of the classic layup shot, helping to bounce the ball into the basket from a tight angle. It takes a lot of practice t...
Not just any ball will do when you play in an organized basketball league. Such leagues have strict specifications for the balls allowed official competition. Standards include bounce, weight, inflation pressure, circumference,...
Men's hands are generally larger than women's so the official men's basketball is larger. Other specifications of the ball are dictated by the league's governing organization such as bounce and weight.
Over time, basketball rims can get bent and deformed, which affects the way the ball falls through the hoop. To fix a standard metal rim you need to remove the rim from the backboard and reshape it using heat and a hammer. Resh...
A good leather basketball can last for years if you care for it and maintain it properly. Though many players don't notice with normal indoor use, leather basketballs can collect a significant amount of dust and grime. Over tim...
Proper grip is essential for shooting the ball accurately. To shoot well, it's best to start with attaining accuracy with proper grip and later focus on shooting from a distance. If possible, videotape yourself during a practic...
Basketball ball movements and offensive techniques may seem complicated to an outsider, especially with names like "pick and roll" and "triangle and two." Yet these are among some well-used offensive strategies from the pros do...
Different levels of basketball have balls with different weights corresponding to different circumferences. Each size is aimed to correlate with the average hand size of the players. Since the human body typically is done grow...
Each governing body has its own specifications as to the size, weight and materials used in an official basketball. For recreational play, there is a difference between indoor and outdoor types of basketballs.
Basketball is a sport enjoyed and played by millions around the world, predicated on repeatedly bouncing a ball filled with air. Basketballs come in varying colors, designs and sizes, but it is the unseen bladder inside the bal...
A set in basketball occurs when the point guard brings the ball past the midcourt line and directs his team to set up a play. In a typical set, the team will have many options to run its offense. The point guard may start out a...
When kids ask for basketballs, they often specify Spalding, notes "Sports Marketing" author Howard Schlossberg. The reason for this goes beyond smart marketing: Spalding makes the official basketball for the National Basketball...
Basketballs have evolved considerably since the game was invented in 1891. Today, technology has made ball performance and quality relatively uniform. This wasn't always the case, as basketballs have undergone many changes and ...
Street ball is very similar to traditional basketball with a few key differences. The games are usually pickup games played on local basketball courts, playgrounds and on city streets. Makeshift basketball nets are often erecte...
In basketball, the phrase “loose ball” refers to a ball in play that neither team possesses. Loose balls often occur when a player drops or loses control of the ball. The National Basketball Association, or NBA, des...
Basketball precision ball training consists of a variety of drills and exercises that improve your dribbling and overall ball-handling skills. While precision ball training is often reserved for point guards and shooting guards...
The original basketball was in fact a soccer ball when the game was born in 1891. Game inventor James Naismith actually asked A.G. Spalding & Bros. to create the first ball for the sport. The balls originally had laces, whi...
A basketball net is not essential to the game, but it does have its purpose. A net helps determine when the ball has gone through the rim, and corrals and deposits the ball onto the same spot on the ground after each made bask...
Generally speaking, both the league and the players determine the size of the basketball used, but it is important to take into consideration that playing with the correct basketball size enhances the safety and playability of ...