Having a ball that is too small or big for your grip can play havoc on your skills & dampen your game. Here’s How big is a size 7 basketball.
How big is a size 7 basketball ?
Basketball sizes vary by age, gender, and level of play. The official size of the basketball used by the NBA is 29.5 inches in circumference.
That’s the same size used throughout men’s college and high school basketball leagues. The WNBA uses a slightly smaller ball, measuring 28.5 inches in circumference.
Size 7 basketballs measure 29.5” in circumference and have a standard weight of 22 oz. Size 7 basketballs are the standard ball size for most men’s professional basketball associations, as well as men’s college and high school basketball leagues.
For international play, specifically FIBA, the basketball used is what’s called a Molten GL7 for men and Molten GL6 for women.
These basketballs typically feature two different colors and are slightly bigger, with a 30.7-inch circumference for the men’s ball and a 29-inch circumference for the women’s.
Youth players are looking at a different set of parameters. The standard youth basketball size – size 5 – comes in at 27.5 inches in diameter, weighing 17 ounces.
This is primarily for players aged between 9 and 11, boys and girls. It gets smaller the younger you go, through, as kids between 5 and 8 should play with a size 4, which has a 25.5-inch circumference and 14-ounce weight.
You can get even smaller with a size 3, which is meant for any child who needs it, with a 22-inch circumstance and 10-ounce weight.
Basketball size does matter
Basketball is a game of muscle memory. When your body does one action enough, it can assume it on command. This is crucial in hoops, where shooting form, footwork, body positioning and more can make all the difference.
If you’re starting out with hoops, whether you’re a child or adult, it’s important to begin with the proper basketball size. If you use one that is too big or small, you run the risk of training your body to work with a tool it won’t see in a live-game setting.
Your hands will become used to shooting a ball that either overwhelms them with size or can’t be properly controlled because it’s too tiny, with using a ball that’s too big or heavy likely hindering you worse than the opposite.
When you go to shoot the sized ball you should have been using all along, your mechanics and fundamentals could be completely thrown off.
This applies to adults and children, so remember, when you’re buying your kid a basketball, don’t forget to check the size.