Okay, so the other day, I was watching an NBA game with my buddy, and he asked a question that I honestly hadn’t thought about before: “Are NBA and WNBA balls the same size?” I was like, “Huh, good question!” So, I decided to do some digging and actually test it out myself.
The Research Phase
First things first, I jumped online to see what the official rules say. I found out some basic info.
- NBA balls are supposed to be 29.5 inches in circumference.
- WNBA balls are supposed to be a bit smaller, at 28.5 inches.
Okay, so there’s a supposed difference of one inch. But you know, sometimes things are different in practice, right?
Getting My Hands on the Balls
So, I went to my local sports store. I grabbed an official NBA ball and a WNBA ball. I could immediately feel a slight difference, but it wasn’t huge. The WNBA ball felt a little easier to palm, which makes sense.
The Measurement Test
To be super accurate, I took both balls home and got out my trusty measuring tape. I carefully measured the circumference of each ball several times, just to be sure. Guess what?
- The NBA ball was pretty much spot-on at 29.5 inches.
- My WNBA ball was consistently around 28.5 inches, maybe a tiny bit more.
The Conclusion
So, there you have it! From my little experiment, it’s clear that, yes, NBA and WNBA balls are different sizes. It’s not a massive difference, but it’s definitely there. The WNBA ball is indeed about an inch smaller in circumference. It is helpful for all players.
