Have you ever wondered why anyone would use the size 6 basketball? After all, size 7 is the most popular size by far! It's what they use in the NBA. But is the size 7 basketball designed for everyone? Who uses the size 6 ball anyway?
You might be surprised to know why it was made, who it was designed for and who should have been using it the whole time!
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WHAT IS THE SIZE 6 BASKETBALL?
The size 6 basketball is the official size basketball for most women’s professional basketball associations. Including the WNBA. Yes, the pro’s use it.
It is also used in many women’s college games and high school basketball leagues around the world.
It is not an inferior sized ball or a “toy”. It will not wreak your game or make you soft.
This is a real legitimate sized basketball. If you were a professional basketball player in the WNBA this would be the basketball you live by.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SIZE 6 & 7?
The size & weight are different. Here is a comparison chart.
The size 7 ball is a standard size for most men’s professional basketball associations including the NBA. This size will also be used in men’s leagues, in college ball and high school basketball leagues.
The size 6 ball is a standard size for most women’s professional basketball associations including the WNBA. This size will also be used in women’s leagues, in college ball and high school basketball leagues.
WHO PLAYS WITH THE SIZE 6?
Professional adult female players.
Most female adult & teen basketball teams & associations.
Boys youth leagues for players aged between 9-11
Girls youth leagues for players aged 9+
So, if you fall somewhere in this category this basketball was designed especially for you.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE SIZE 6?
The size 6 basketball has been designed slightly smaller than size 7 basketballs. This slight difference is enough to give those hooper's with smaller hand spans better control over the ball. Therefore, increasing your game and creating a more level playing field vs hooping with a basketball that’s too big for you.
They are also a fair bit lighter which will improve your speed & range. You will now be experiencing the way most men & teenager boys are experiencing the game ball.
Try giving them a sized 8 basketball and make it heavier. That just wouldn't make sense.
CAN I USE BOTH SIZES AND BE, OK?
Yes, 100%
Being mindful of the two main differences in size and weight can help you adjust quicker when playing with both size basketballs.
WHAT ARE THE CONS OF THE SIZE 6?
People may not understand the purpose of the size 6 basketball and give you a hard time on the court. After you hand them your ball and you make more shots then them they might leave you alone.
Translating back and forth between the size 7 & size 6 can cause some challenges as you will be constantly adjusting to a new weight and a larger ball.
Playing in a league that uses the size 6 basketball and then playing pick up games against those playing with the size 7 basketball can throw you off at first.
WHO SHOULD NOT USE BOTH SIZES?
As a beginner this may hurt your game as you are still learning to correct your shot and gain ball control on the dribble.
Going back and forth between sizes while learning the fundamentals of the game could cause more issues at first. Learning the correct shot technique, motor controls, along with muscle memory and coordination takes time. You could easily make the mistake of needlessly changing your shot, all because you changed the ball you were playing with.
We would not want you developing a great jumper and then start missing, after changing basketball size. You could make the mistake of thinking you need to work on your shot when really, you just need to be mindful that you just picked up a basketball that is larger and heavier than what you are used too.
Getting a good jumper is about practice, reps and consistency.
We recommend getting your game down to a level you where you don’t have to think so much about your shot or dribbling moves before training with both sizes.
Once you are confident in the game, you will then have no problems at all going back and forth. I use 3 very different types of basketballs and I don’t have much trouble making the adjustments in the first 2 minutes of practice. But keep in mind I've been hooping for 3 decades.
Don’t try to ‘walk’ before you can ‘ball’.
WHAT SIZED BASKETBALL SHOULD I GET?
If you are playing in a all-girls league and they are using the size 6 basketball, we suggest you always train with the same size ball you use on game day.
If you are a boy between the ages of 9 – 11 check what sized basketball your league is using. They should be giving you a size 6 basketball on game day. If they are, this is the size ball we recommend training with.
If you are a female and not in any leagues, but you will accept a pick up game against the boys at the park you might want to consider how well you would like to do in those games.
If winning against the boys is something that really matters to you, or you simply just don’t want to be making mental and physical adjustments to your shot, we would suggest training with a size 7 basketball to keep up.
If you will accept a pickup game with the boys every so often -who will be hooping with a size 7 basketball- but you mainly play by yourself or with other girls, then maybe just get the basketball that was designed for your game and go with the size 6.
SHOULD I BE HOOPING WITH A SIZE 6 OR NOT?
If you fit into the category this ball was designed for then yes, you should be hooping with a size 6 basketball.
Some of the links included in this post are affiliate links. This means I will be credited a part of the commission of the sale you make through it for no extra cost for you. But I actually use the products mentioned here, and I honestly recommend them.
DO I HAVE TO THOUGH?
No. You can ball with any sized basketball you personally want to. I am an adult female who has been hooping with a size 7 basketball all my life. I used a size 7 all though my childhood, in youth leagues, girls high school teams and in pick up games against the boys.
I have used a size 6 Authentic Series WNBA basketball for the past year after I developed a shoulder injury and was looking for a lighter ball to shoot with.
I will also use the 3x3 streetball which is the size of a 6 but it has the weight of a 7.
Swish that in your chain net huh!
You can ball with any ball you want to ball with! Its your game.
IN CONCLUSION
If you fit the size 6 basketball profile, you can still hoop with a size 7 and be fine.
The only reason I used the size 7 all my childhood and in high school was because back then, they didn't know about the size 6 basketball. If our coaches and leagues were as advanced as they are today, I wonder how much better my game could have been.
The size 6 was designed for you and I. You might be surprised just awesome it really is.
Your shot could improve, your distance could get longer & your ball handling skills may get faster.
Your fear of losing your pickup game against the boys and being discredited for using a size 6 ball may be holding you back from being the best hooper you could be.
Just think, if you went pro, you would be using a size 6 basketball and repeating the words of the best shooter in the world when he said “what they gonna say now?”
SIZE 6 WILSON AUTHENTIC SERIES WNBA BASKETBALL
Check out one of my favourite size 6 WNBA outdoor basketballs I've been using for the past 12 months. It is available on Amazon below:
You can read the full review we made on this basketball after one full year of use in the next article.
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