The balls used in basketball vary in size and leather, and there are many different types of basketballs, such as those for official matches, indoors, and outdoors, so I would like to organize them all!

Types of Basketball

About size

There are four main sizes available.

No. 7 ball (No. 7 ball)
Target audience: Junior high school, high school, university students, and general males

The largest and heaviest basketball is the size 7.
(Excluding items that are intentionally made heavy for training purposes)

Boys go from using a size 5 ball, which is used in mini-basketball (described later), to a size 7 ball when they reach junior high school, so it seems quite difficult for smaller players at first, but they just have to get used to it (lol).

No. 6 ball (No. 6 ball)
Target audience: Junior high school, high school, university students, and general female

In the past, general female players aged high school and above used size 7 balls, and junior high school students (both boys and girls) used size 6 balls, so we used to say that size 6 ball = junior high school student ball.

Starting October 1, 2004, all girls in junior high school and above were required to use size 6 balls, and female players who used size 7 balls were forced to downsize. This was also difficult to use at first, but now size 7 balls are too heavy to use (lol).

Getting used to something is a scary thing.

No. 5 ball (No. 5 ball)
Target: Elementary school students (boys and girls)

The size of the ball used in mini-basketball, which is basketball for elementary school students, is number 5.

The manufacturer also provides smaller balls, size 3 and 4, for younger players, but since size 5 is used in matches, I don't think there are many players who use them, even in the younger grades.

(I've never seen the real thing)

By the way, balls that are the same size but slightly lighter are sometimes sold.
Molten Basketball JB5000 Lightweight is here

3x3 ball target: All

The ball for 3x3 (three x three) is a size 6 ball and weighs 7.

There is no difference in the balls used by men and women, so it is easy for mixed teams to practice and play games in 3x3.

Currently, Molten only has one type of artificial leather, so if you mainly do 3x3, the Libertoria 5000 is your only choice.

About the material

Balls are made from natural leather, artificial leather, and rubber.
Each has its own characteristics, which will be explained below.

natural leather

Natural leather balls may feel a little slippery at first, but they will gradually become more comfortable in your hand and feel like they are growing on you.

Since it is made from natural leather, the leather itself is not very resistant to impacts.
Therefore, if you use it on asphalt or concrete, it will deform, become damaged quickly, and become slippery and unusable, so please use it only in gymnasiums and indoor courts.

artificial leather

There are more varieties available than natural leather, and they are more durable, so if you're practicing outdoors, we recommend artificial leather. There are also artificial leather balls specifically designed for outdoor use.