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Issue Date: November 19, 2006
Sizing up the NBA's NEW basketball
Some like the makeover design, others want to dunk it in the trash.
By Ranald Totten
Leather has gone the way of tight shorts in the NBA. Three weeks ago, the league tipped off its 2006-07 season with a new official game ball, the first in 35 years. The new ball, a microfiber composite manufactured by Spalding, already has generated controversy among players, including Shaquille O'Neal, who slammed it during training camp. (He called it "terrible.") Perhaps Shaq will change his mind if the new rock improves his free-throw shooting.
USA WEEKEND looks inside the numbers:
1.28 Approximate weight (in pounds) of the new ball. It's also the number of All-Star votes (in millions) received by the Houston Rockets' Yao Ming, who replaced Shaquille O'Neal as the starting center for the Western Conference in the 2003 All-Star Game. (Yao was aided by ballots printed for the first time in Mandarin.)
6 Number of basketballs, each a variation of microfiber composites, that Spalding considered for the new design. It's also the record number of MVP awards Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won (1970-71, 1971-72, 1973-74, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1979-80).
8 Number of years Spalding spent on research and development of the new ball. It's also the most consecutive NBA titles in league history (Boston Celtics, 1959 to 1966).
75 Number of balls issued annually by Spalding to each NBA team. It's also the number of the most career triple-doubles (double figures in points, rebounds and assists) among active players; held by New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd.
167,847,043 Number of new balls, placed side by side, that would span the earth's circumference.
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Tale of the Tape
OLD BALL
Material: Leather
Break-in period: One to two months
Panels: Eight. The seams that run between the panels converge on both sides of the ball, creating surface ripples.
Color: "Orange to dark brown." A natural material like leather responds differently to handling, so old balls were not a uniform color.
Durability: 70,000-plus bounces
Original retail price: $37.50
Manufactured in: China
NEW BALL
Material: Microfiber composite
Break-in period: Immediate
Panels: Two. The new design is made up of two cross-shaped panels that interlock, allowing for better grip.
Color: "NBA-heritage orange." According to Spalding, the new basketball will retain its color much longer than the old one did.
Durability: 80,000-plus bounces
Original retail price: $99.99
Manufactured in: China
Allen Iverson and the rest of the NBA players still are getting a handle on the new Spalding ball, which was introduced at the start of the current season.
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