The NBA had switched from using Spalding basketballs to Wilson Basketballs in 2021. The NBA used Spalding balls for 40 years up until the Spalding company failed to renew their contract. There are a lot of mixed opinions on this switch. However, the new Wilson balls are worse than Spalding balls in terms of durability and quality. Spalding balls have more durability. Spalding balls are made from premium quality leather which makes it more resistant to damage. While Wilson balls are also made from leather, the interior consists of rubber which causes the ball to be much less durable and more prone to damage. Wilson balls are at deficit in terms of quality. As I mentioned earlier, Wilson balls have a rubber interior which makes the ball vulnerable to damages. For that reason, Wilson balls are labeled as an indoor only basketball unlike Spalding balls which have the durability and quality to be considered both indoor and outdoor balls. Wilson balls may have caused the low-performance rates to increase during the NBA season. Many NBA players such as Paul George had claimed that the new Wilson basketball had negatively affected his shooting performance. Paul George had claimed that "it doesn’t have the same touch and softness that the Spalding ball had" (source 2) due to the ball's grip and texture. In conclusion, I believe that the new Wilson balls are much worse compared to the Spalding balls. The NBA should have continued using Spalding balls as they were doing for 40 years. Some even say Wilson balls are to blame for the poor NBA performances we had last year.
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